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SPENCER – In approximately one hour on November 7, residents approved all Special Town Meeting warrant articles with little discussion.
Actions included updating the local zoning bylaws to comply with the state’s new requirements related to accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
The bylaw changes allow ADUs to locate in residential zones “by right,” meaning a special permit is not required.
They can be up to 900 feet, must have a separate entrance through the outside or entry way and cannot be a short-term rental. Further, the principal dwelling does not have to be owner occupied and the unit can be detached or not detached.
Officials amended the warrant article by adding language that said only one ADU would be allowed by right per lot. Any additional units per lot would be subject to a special permit by the Zoning Board of Appeals, according to Town Administrator Jeff Bridges.
Another change to the warrant’s wording involved having at least one parking space provided and no more than two.
Special Town Meeting voters also agreed to “swap,” the funding used to pay for previously approved capital items and the demolition of the Lake Street School.
Because of a timing issue, Bridges noted American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were re-directed to the capital items and the town was seeking to have the local funds pay for the demolition instead.
The administrator said the town received an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfield Clean Up grant totaling $500,000. That money will be combined with the approximately $700,000 previously approved local funds.
In response to a question about when the work would be done, Bridges said the EPA is meeting next week and he expects the project will go out to bid next spring and the demolition to take place in the summer.
The Lake Street School closed in 2016 and has a host of problems, including asbestos, Bridges said.
Town Meeting members also agreed to pay prior year bills, consolidate accounts related to parks, purchase a new Parks and Recreation mower and acquire easements on Main and Ash Streets, related to sidewalk improvements and a water main upgrade. The town received a Complete Streets grant for the work.
Residents also favorably addressed an article to pay for a water main replacement on route 9 in conjunction with a repaving project by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
Bridges noted before MassDOT awards a contract, the town must enter a “non-participatory cost agreement” with MassDOT and identify a source of funding. Although the article asked for debt authorization, he said the town will be receiving a $1.1 million grant.
Utilities and Facilities Superintendent Peter Boria said the area starts at Water Street and goes west “just over the 7-mile bridge just before you get to the (route) 49 intersection.”
The size of the main varies, with some portions upgrading from eight inches to 10 and others from 10 inches to 12, he said.
“Some of the portions being replaced are old and had many breaks where we had to do emergency repairs in one specific (section),” Boria said.
He said it is very important to get this work done in conjunction with DOT and take advantage of the cost savings that will be realized.
The last article on the warrant was “passed over.” It pertained to the moderator removing a Finance Committee member for “cause.”
