TEWKSBURY — The Tewksbury Select Board met on Jan. 25, 2022. Member Todd Johnson was not present.
The board met with Town Planner Alexandra Lowder and Assistant Town Mana-ger Steve Sadwick to discuss new state MBTA community multifamily housing requirements.
As an MBTA adjacent community, the town is required to have a multi-family zoning district with a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre; is not more than one-half mile from a commuter rail station, subway station, ferry terminal or bus station; has no age restrictions; is suitable for families with children; and, if it is of a reasonable size, must comprise of at least 50 acres of land, with at least 25 acres contiguous, and no portion shall be less than five acres.
Lowder and Sadwick also discussed shifting responsibilities from the Local Housing Partnership to town staff following member resignations. The Local Housing Partnership was incorporated in 2003 by the Select Board to study the need for affordable housing in town and make policy recommendations to achieve the town’s housing goals; the partnership was predated by an affordable housing committee and was created to increase outreach and engagement in the process of the production of affordable housing.
The LHP acts as the town’s initial contact for developers of proposed affordable housing projects. The LHP is also responsible for developing affordable housing action plans based on studies of housing needs, identifying local, state, and federal housing resources to further development, and increasing public awareness through forums and other public events.
The LHP sought to retain a consultant using $30,000 of housing trust fund money to take administrative burden off of town staff, but when no one responded to the request for proposal, members resigned to “send a message to the Select Board and the town about their nonsupport of our work and goals.”
Sadwick said that current LHP projects will be taken on by town staff; he added that public outreach initiatives will need more planning, as well as bids for three sites for nonprofit affordable housing development.
Board members discussed a limiting discharge of dredged and fill material restriction at 319, 321, and 323 Marston St. Sadwick said that the request came from the applicant and explained that the Department of Environmental Protection had requested that there be a 401 water quality certification; the applicant has the ability to put the restriction on their property to serve the same purpose as the water quality certification.
If the town finds the restriction acceptable, the Select Board and Conservation Commission will need to sign off on it. The restriction prevents the owner from filling or dredging up to 500 square feet in accordance with original conditions. The board voted to approve the restriction conditional to the Conservation Commission’s approval.
Town Manager Richard Montuori reviewed the town’s additional liquor licenses granted by the state’s Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC). Due to the federal census numbers, the town will be granted additional licenses. The town will receive three additional restaurant all-alcoholic licenses for a total of 33 licenses; one additional restaurant wine and malt liquor license for a total of seven licenses; one additional all-alcoholic retail package license for a total of seven licenses; and one additional wine and malt retail package license for a total of seven licenses.
The new licenses come in addition to special legislation passed by the state legislature which added five additional all-alcohol restaurant licenses and two additional beer and wine restaurant licenses which must be used by February 2024. Montuori said that the additional licenses have not yet been used, but said that people are starting to inquire again following COVID-19 setbacks.
Montuori noted that residents may have received a notice about THM (trihalomethanes) levels in the town water supply, which are the result of a reaction between disinfecting chlorine and natural organic matter in water. Monturoi explained that over a 12-month cycle, the town registered above maximum contamination levels and was required to send a notice every quarter.
He said that levels have been going down and are currently under the maximum contamination limit and believes that next quarter the town won’t have to send out notices. Montuori emphasized that water is safe to drink and there are no issues with Tewksbury’s water system; problems came from the Merrimack River water source and pose no danger to the public.
In board member reports, member Jayne Wellman thanked Montuori, DPW Director Brian Gilbert and Town Engineer Kevin Hardiman for a recent board tour of the old DPW facility.
“The facility was built in the 1950s and while it’s been very well cared for, it’s very worn,” she said, adding she was looking forward to seeing the new DPW/school maintenance facility plan improvements for the community and “the humans who work there.”
Wellman added that the town’s regional planning agency, the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments, recently promoted transportation planner Justin Howard to assistant director. NMCOG is looking to hire a new executive director after the most recent hire resigned after four days on the job.
“You drove them out that quickly?” joked Kelly. “I didn’t even meet them!”
Wellman added that the agency will be relaunching the search. Wellman shared that NMCOG is currently understaffed and is looking to hire a new planner.
“They’re doing a great job adapting and hopefully the board will be able to get a new director soon,” she said.
Board members also addressed construction on Route 38 slated to start in April “for the first time in like 40 years,” Wellman said. “It’s going to be disruptive but we’ve been wanting this in the town for so long.”
Construction will continue through September 2023 and the town is requesting that the Department of Transportation do a robust public outreach program to residents and businesses will know week-by-week what portions of road are being worked on and can plan travel accordingly.
The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 15, 2022. Residents may find the meeting agenda on the town website. The meeting may be viewed on Comcast channel 99 and Verizon channel 33.
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