November 2013 Special Town Meeting Preview

A special town meeting with only four articles give me hope hat discussion will be succinct, and we'll wrap in one night. Perhaps I'm a dreamer. Here are some thoughts on what 288 of us will deal with Monday night (Nov 4).

Athletic field.
In 2002 we had a debt exclusion to rebuild Harris Field with a then state-of-the-art facility. The expected lifespan of the playing surface was 8-10 years, so this article to replace worn out parts really should not be controversial. The original project was clear to voters, and we approved it. Hopefully this will be a no-brainer. There are some minor enhancements attached, to make the facility more usable. These should hopefully not hold things up. A private groups is funding some of the enhancements, so they're putting their money where their mouth is.

Since Belmont's field space is so limited, this has been a fantastic investment. The field is in use by multiple teams and sports every season - school teams, rec department, and outside rentals. I read the Oct 9 Warrant Committee minutes covering their discussion of this item; "Member [Robert] Sarno asked what would happen if the the field was shut down." I hope WC members are not so out of touch with the community that they would even consider advocating for shutdown.

Demolition Delay.
A demolition delay bylaw was scheduled to go before Town Meeting a few times in recent years but has always been dismissed at the last minute. Hopefully, they (whoever "they" are - BOS, Planning Board, Bylaw Review Committee, and proponents) have all the kinks out. It's been streamlined quite a bit and the scope has been reduced from previous tries.

I've always been on the fence with this kind of thing, wanting to preserve historical significance, yet not intrude on private property rights. Similar bylaws have been successfully applied in nearby towns with little ill-effect, so I plan to support it. It will just delay a small number of demolitions.

There are a slew of proposed amendments expected. That will slow progress down considerably. I hope Moderator Widmer uses his gavel wisely to keep on track.

Snow Shoveling.
A bylaw to require snow shoveling has been before TM a few times over the years (or decades?), though not since I've been on TM. It's rare that a Town bylaw affects both me and my kids directly. Passage of this would make my walk, and the walk of hundreds of others, to the bus stop on the way to work safer and easier. It would also make my younger kid's 1.25 mile walk to Belmont High safer. While a student at Chenery, my older kid asked why some people did not clear their sidewalk. (It was a half-mile walk for her, and she was forced to walk in the street, Payson Rd, at times.) She even noted that some homeowners were were completely capable of shoveling, with teenage kids and parents my age or a bit younger. The only answer I could think of was "perhaps Mr ___ does not care about your safety or the other kids in the neighborhood."

Selectman Ralph Jones is heading this effort. I think his approach is reasonable and workable. I'll be voting yes.

This has a sunset provision, so if it does not work out as envisioned, this bylaw will disappear in a couple years, without further TM action.

Yard sales.
I can't quite decide if the proposed bylaw to limit yard sales to two per year is overly intrusive or not. In a close-knit town such as Belmont, something like this should not be needed. But a neighborhood along Brighton Rd has had difficulties with an individual week after week, with no recourse. That made me wonder if this person's sales should qualify as a business, where existing zoning and state tax laws, would impose some order. The Town Clerk says her department already has software in place to cover this, and it would be largely self-serve, with staff time demands minimal (I hear someone is proposing a micromanaging amendement, dictating how signs can be attached to utility poles. That discussion will be a frustrating waste of time.) Before I knew the details of the issue, I was expecting to vote no, thinking it would be a solution in search of a problem. But I see there is problem this would help solve, so I expect to vote yes.

Location.
This Town Meeting is at the Chenery Auditorium. TM sessions at Belmont High in recent years have met with, lets say, disapproval from TM members. Face it, BHS auditorium, with much of the building, has long outlived its lifespan and is uncomfortable and unpleasant place to spend 3-4 hours.