2023 Town Meeting Week 2 May 1 and May 3
This is the 216th consecutive annual Town Meeting year, it was said.
Monday, May 1
We voted that May 2 would become Ann Le Royer Day - Ann is a tireless volunteer who has served on the Open Space Committee.
We voted and discussed the budgets. Interesting tidbits learned along the way: The police chief Julie Flaherty said that 1300 people have gun licenses in town (license to carry).
Unfortunately, starting Wednesday, we ceased playing and singing the National Anthem, which I think is a big shame. This non-partisan way of starting each Town Meeting for, probably, all two hundred and sixteen sessions, was a visible, audible and meaningful way of starting our proceedings in unity - and with a focus on our laws, which ultimately go right up to the shared national level...
Wednesday, May 3
Town Meeting established a committee to study making TM a hybrid (in person and by zoom) meeting.
Arlington is having a hard time attracting police officer applicants and voted to look at a wider pool than just the traditional 'civil service' candidates. Interestingly, 25% of Arlington residents were said to be people of color. It was said that 8 out of 61 police officers were women. 5 out of 61 identified as people of color.
We unfortunately voted to remove the need for all parking in businesses in the Mass Ave corridor. This could be ADA non-compliant (no handicapped space) and hurt parking availability in these areas. Also, the Zoning Board and Redevelopment Board previously could decide to reduce parking requirements, after hearing the proposal - now no parking at all, with no review of the conditions, will be required, but just in that B5 Mass Ave zone.
Monday, May 10
12- PLASTIC TURF (Continuing) The painful process of getting through 10 votes on 7 substitutte motions and 2 amendments and even one last vote to divide the resulting amendment (I know, I barely understood it either!) went on for 2 of our 3 hours. To his credit, the new moderator Greg Christiana handled this complex vote incredibly well - I was very impressed with that. In the end a substitute motion to make a 1 year moratorium, and a study before that composed of neutral people passed.
30 - REMOVING ALL USABLE SPACE FROM 1 AND 2 FAMILY PROPERTIES
This vote had 3 pro-motion (pro-density) speakers and then the debate was terminated. We voted (it's a 2/3rds zoning vote) and the vote failed though it was about 124 to 84.
We voted to allow Dog Daycare to be an allowed use in the commercial/industrial districts - it was simply left off the earlier approved list from a few years ago.
And so ended the zoning Articles.
