Foxborough Special Town Meeting Passes 12 of 14 Articles

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Voters said yes for more uses at campgrounds but no to zoning changes for a portion of the former state hospital at Foxborough’s Special Town Meeting. The 163 voters in attendance approved 12 of the 14 articles during Monday night's 2-hour session.

Most notable from the meeting was Article 4, which changes the definition of commercial campgrounds. The zoning change was mainly to allow Normandy Farms to hold various events in a proposed function barn and allow for other non-camping uses. The barn will still have to go through hearings and reviews by the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning Board.

The article sparked some discussion but still passed with a 132-4 vote.

Article Six, which would have allowed the selectmen to petition their state delegation to file legislation to release use restriction on a portion of the former state hospital property that the town would like to sell, initially passed but the failure of Article Seven led voters to reconsider Article Six, which failed the second time around on a 42-65 vote. The parcel in question includes the paint house and laundry building. The zoning in question was addressed in Article Seven and would have made the area part of the Chestnut-Payson Overlay District, but amid concerns of use and possible construction from residents near the area, the article was unable to meet the two-thirds vote requirement, getting 80 yes votes to 60 no votes.

Also passed were some housekeeping item from the Planning Board. Article One updates the map for the Foxborough Center Overlay District, and Article Two fixes a mistake in the zoning bylaws concerning on-street parking.

Article Three changes the site plan review process, requiring Planning Board hearings to be opened no later than 21 days after the receipt of a completed application and the board to make a decision within 30 days after the closure of the hearing

Article Five adjusts the timeline for a municipal conversion permit. The selectmen must open a hearing 30 days after receiving an application instead of 21 and no leasing, sale, or occupancy can take place before the selectmen issue a permit or until 30 days after the public hearing has been closed.

Article Eight will transfer $280,000 to the stabilization fund and Article Nine reassigns $16,500 intended for maintenance of conservation-owned property on Spring Street and to the demolition of the property. Article 10 was passed, allowing the town to follow the state’s charter on abandoned funds and uncashed checks issued by the town

Article 11 cancels the borrowing authorization from the 2010 Town Meeting for the Oak Street Watering Plant.

With the passing of Article 12, buildings over 75 years old will require approval from the Historical Commission, rather than 50 years.

Voters approved Article 13, allowing the town to transfer $50,000 from free cash to pay for the architectural costs of a Phase I Sanitary Sewer System that will serve the downtown area.

The last issue of the night, Article 14, transfers $565,00 from ambulance receipts to the annual capital budget to fund the cost to replace 13-year-old fire engine 24.

Image Credit: Dan Libon