56° and Partly Cloudy
Image
Above, Before lot line "cleanup" (left) and After (right).
The Franklin Town Council met at 7 pm on Wednesday March 1, with all councilors present with the exception of Councilor Frongillo.
The principal business –“legislation for action” -- was a group of. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 23-887 (Formerly 22-887), consisting of Zoning Map Changes from Rural Residential II and Single Family Residential III to Rural Residential II or Single Family Residential III an Area On or Near Lincoln St. and Lincolnwood Drive. The similar . Zoning Bylaw Amendment 23-891 was also on the docket.
Town Administrator Jamie Hellen translated the legalese for us, explaining that the measures were basically two zoning adjustments.
“The process is as simple as this: A proposal (usually vetted by the EDC) originates at the Council level, and is referred to the Planning Board. They have a public hearing and make a non-binding recommendation to the Council. Then the Council has one public hearing on first reading. They then hold a second reading after 14 days for final enactment. Last night [Wednesday] they did their public hearing, First Reading and moved them to a second reading (which is also final enactment),” he wrote.
And, the changes mean that a number of lots that had been straddling different zoning districts will now be in one or the other, simplifying any future development or redevelopment by the owners (see image above).
Bylaw Amendment 23-892 also got a second reading and approval. This is a measure to up ambulance fees.
Lastly, the Council approved transfer of monies to the PEG (Franklin TV) account, a routine, periodic measure.
Hellen also delivered a report, which included a number of personnel changes, including hiring former Auburn Town Manager, Julie Jacobson, as the part-time Special Assistant to the Town Administrator, pending a permanent hire of a Deputy Administrator. Among a list of several additional changes, engineer Kevin Hart has come aboard as assistant to facilities director Mike D’Angelo.
