by Frank Schroth

The Planning Board met last Wednesday and Thursday. They also discussed two citizens petition articles that are on the Annual Town Warrant. One deals with a revision to a condo bylaw article and the other to a moratorium on lit signs. (The primary topic of business was an ongoing hearing for a special permit to allow Thayer Nursery to operate a landscaping business from their Hillside location. That topic will be covered in a future post.)

On 3/25 the board heard from residents regarding a citizens petition for a general zoning bylaw for townhouses and condominiums. The bylaw is too open ended according to residents and members of the condominium working group, a committee formed by the Planning Board to look at the issue of a general bylaw for condominium developments. While the bylaw is general, there is a specific spot between Hillside and Ford Ranch Road of approximately 13 acres that is a potential site for townhouses. While an opportunity existed for the condo working group to take the proposed bylaw and amend it; they did not. The owner of property John Fandrey and the developer, Todd Hamilton, are now looking at options. One option is the type of zoning practiced most frequently in Milton, site specific zoning. This is a bylaw that is written with requirements that relate to a specific parcel without actually identifying it. The most recent example of site specific zoning is a bylaw passed to support townhouses on the St. Pius property.

Marion McEttrick discussed this option with the board during both the 25th and 26th sessions. There are some issues in that the article is already on the warrant. Ms. McEttrick is exploring the possibility of a revised article that would be put forth at town meeting as an amendment to the original article. Key to the this is the approval of the Town Moderator who will decide if the amendment is within scope. According to McEttrick the moderator, who has consulted with Town Counsel, has determined the amendment to be within scope.

McEttrick in her remarks noted that there is an offer from a non-profit on the table and that a comprehensive permit has also been explored. The townhouse article is the preferred route. However, the neighbors do not appear to have an appetite for that. They are looking for a more modest proposal of ~8 homes on the site. The developer is working to arrange a meeting with the neighbors to work through issues. The next step is to get before the Warrant Committee to present the change and give them an opportunity to work on a recommendation. That recommendation will likely depend upon an opinion from the Planning Board which agreed to resume the discussion at their meeting on April 9th. Mr. Whiteside recused himself from the discussion of the amendment saying that the amendment might have an impact on the value of his property. However, he said this did not preclude him from discussing the amendment “as an interested resident” at some future point.

In their session on the 26th the board heard from Laura Griffin a proponent on a citizens petition article that calls for a moratorium on lit signs. Ms.Griffin reviewed a history of signage in the East Milton Square area and handed out photos of signage she felt was detrimental to the history and character of the square. She characterized some of the signage as “bright” and “garish.” She understood that signs in place will not be changed but was looking for a moratorium on any additional lit signs while a committee is formed to review the bylaw. She acknowledged that the article was not written as specifically as it should have been. She said the intent was to have a committee look specifically at bylaws regarding back lit signs. Mr. Whiteside in particular seemed amendable to the petition. There were some questions about the length of the moratorium. The proposed article does not have an end date. The board discussed taking up the issue with a goal of having the moratorium last until October when ostensibly a revised recommendation would be presented at Special Town Meeting.

Milton’s signs are currently a hodgepodge of jurisdictions and rules. The Planing Board is tasked with the sign bylaws (personal and commercial). However, the Board of Selectmen have authority over all lit signs. And then there is a sign review committee with has defined guidelines and makes recommendations on signage. A recent example of how this works or doesn’t is the Sleepy’s sign, an LED sign on the roof of a building in East Milton. The sign review committee denied the request. The owner at the time Kennedy Carpet went to the Selectmen who approved it. The Planning Board did not have a say other than to have written the law what opened the door for the Selectmen to countermand the sign review committee. The sign has not proven to be very popular. What is good news for signers of citizens petition is the decision by the Planning Board to hold a hearing on the issue which will take place on April 23.