THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, April 5, 2019 Page 11 Monday’s Special Town Meeting Town moderator Doherty says proposed moratorium may be the most-discussed article on the warrant By Mark E. Vogler T own Moderator Stephen N. Doherty says he thinks Article 4 – a proposed moratorium on multifamily dwellings – will get the most discussion at Monday night’s (April 8) Special Town Meeting. “It will probably be the most heavily debated of the warrant articles,” Doherty said in an interview this week. “I expect a number of people will be getting up to speak on both sides,” he told The Saugus Advocate. But after years of experience observing past proceedings of Saugus Town Meeting members, he added that articles that are expected to be the subject of intense debate often don’t turn out that way, while seemingly noncontroversial articles might draw considerable debate. Based on what he’s heard in recent days, Doherty said he expects Article 4 should receive plenty of discussion, though. The article – one of seven measures on the warrant called for by Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree – would order that no new building permits be issued for the construction of multifamily dwellings consisting of three or more dwelling units in any zoning district in the town for a period of two years. The Special Town Meeting, which Crabtree said he requested to deal with a number of “timing issues,” is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday (April 8) in the second floor auditorium of Saugus Town Hall. This explanation is provided by the warrant prepared for the Special Town Meeting: “The reason for this temporary moratorium is that the Town is experiencing an unanticipated increase in the construction of multi-family dwellings and, as a result, the town is conducting an analysis and/or comprehensive study to determine the impact of said construction on police, fire, and emergency public safety, the school district, the water, sewer, and roadway infrastructures, and the safety of the general public.” The Planning Board has a meeting set for 6 p.m. today (Friday, April 5) in the Town Hall Annex Meeting Room to discuss the proposed building moratorium and other zoning articles proposed by the town manager. Those articles include the following: Article 5 would add a table of use and parking regulations for bed and breakfast establishments under residential category of the zoning bylaws. Article 6 proposes that the town add the following new definition of short-term rental: “an owner-occupied, tenant occupied or non-owner occupied property including, but not limited to, an apartment, house, cottage, condominium or a furnished accommodation that is not a hotel, motel, lodging house or bed and breakfast establishment. A Short-term Rental shall mean rooms being rented for a period of not more than thirty one (31) consecutive calendar days.” Article 7 seeks to delete the word “Unit” from the definition Lodging Unit and replacing it with the word “House” as to read: Lodging House. The entire “Lodging House” definition shall read as follows: “Lodging House: One or more rooms for the use of one or more individuals not living as a single housekeeping unit and not having cooking facilities. A lodging house shall include rooms in boarding houses, tourist houses and roomWE WORK FOR YOU! * Have your car repaired by Real Manufacturer Certiified Technicians * An I-CAR GOLD CLASS SHOP Highest Certificate in the Repair Industry * Premier Insurance Co. Collision Repair Shop for Geico, Liberty Mutual, Metlife, Progressive and more! * Over 30 Years of putting families back on the Road Safe & Fast! * ATLAS Stands Behind All Repairs with a Limited Lifetime Warranty 1605 North Shore Road, Revere * 781-284-1200 Visit us at: www.AtlasAutobody.com or call (781) 284-1200 to schedule your appointment today! ing houses. No more than four roomers shall be allowed.” Meanwhile, the Finance Committee has already given a favorable review of three articles with funding requests totaling $840,000. They include the following: Article 1 seeks to borrow $310,000 to provide new concrete sidewalks, grass strips and granite curbing on one side of Highland Avenue. As part of the ongoing capital improvements to the town’s water infrastructure, the project includes replacement of about 1,000 linear feet of water line and a water main on Highland Avenue. This will improve water flow for the new Saugus Middle-High School under construction and will address concerns of residents who live in the neighborhood near the school. Article 2 seeks to borrow $500,000 for a comprehensive plan for reconfiguration of the space at Evans Park, including basketball courts, tennis court, security, parking, lighting, grading and drainage. TOWN MEETING | SEE PAGE 21
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