Annual town meeting kicks off Monday, May 14
By Jay TurnerA ban on recreational marijuana sales, funding for Metropolis Skating Rink, another round of CPA spending, and a boatload of proposed zoning changes are among the many noteworthy items that will be up for discussion at Canton’s jam-packed 2018 annual town meeting, which kicks off this coming Monday, May 14, at 7 p.m. in the Canton High School auditorium.
Town meeting preview in this week’s print edition
With a whopping 64 articles on the regular warrant — the most in recent memory — plus a separate special warrant article scheduled for consideration on Wednesday, this year’s edition will require at least two sessions and could very well go longer, continuing on consecutive Mondays and Wednesdays until all business has been concluded.
The special town meeting, which commences at 7:05 p.m. on May 16, will ask voters to consider a temporary moratorium on the use of land and structures for “any new hospital or convalescent or nursing home in all zoning districts.” Sponsored by the Board of Selectmen at the request of former Planning Board member George Comeau, the article is intended to give the town more time to study and plan for further regulation of such medical uses, which have been cited by at least one developer as the basis for constructing a substance abuse detoxification facility in a business zone. A separate amendment filed by Comeau (Article 38), seeking to expressly exclude detox centers from the zoning definitions, is being recommended for indefinite postponement due to legal concerns.
Even without Article 38, residents will still have their hands full with 19 other zoning changes, all of which require a two-thirds vote for adoption. Notable proposals include Article 39, which would prohibit recreational marijuana establishments in all zoning districts; Article 21, which would help pave the way for the development of a TopGolf entertainment venue at the former Cumberland Farms site on Dedham Street; and Articles 50 and 52, which would allow a greater diversity of uses in LI districts, including retail stores and professional offices.
On the non-zoning front, residents will be asked to vote on a number of free cash transfers, a slew of street acceptances for three private subdivisions, additional funding to repair or rebuild Metropolis Rink, and assorted capital expenditures for both the municipal and school sides, among other proposals.
Town meeting will then wrap up with the appropriation of the FY19 operating budget, which the Finance Committee has recommended at $92.3 million — a 4.3 percent increase over FY18. The first ATM session will adjourn around 11 p.m. on Monday and deliberations will resume on Wednesday following the conclusion of the special town meeting.
See page 15 of this week’s Canton Citizen for our 2018 annual town meeting preview. Special May promotion: $25 for 1 year for new in-town subscribers. Click here to order your subscription today (also available in digital form).
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Posted by Jay Turner
on May 12 2018. Filed under News, Town Government.
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