The week in government: Planning on Downtown District and ANRs; BOS on Special Town Meeting Articles (Updated)

Above: These days, meetings could be in-person, over zoom, or both. Check the agendas for details.

Here are the posted committee and board meetings for this week along with my selected highlights from the agendas. Unless agendas note otherwise, meetings are open to the public.

As always, be aware that changes to the meeting schedule are known to happen throughout the week. For an updated list of meetings, visit the town website.

Monday, August 16, 2021

• Planning Board Meeting, 7:00 pm @ remote meeting (agenda and packet, Hearing Materials) Agenda Highlights: Master Plan Committee member appointment; Hearings on 6-8 Turnpike Rd, Proposed Downtown District bylaw, zoning map, and Design Guidelines, and 28 Boston Rd site plan modification; Approval Not Required applications for 135 Deerfoot Rd and 3 Atwood St plot divisions; Discuss Open Space Monitoring report update and review of Outdoor Illumination rules & regs

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

• Board of Assessors Meeting, 4:15 pm @ Hearing Room, Town House, 17 Common St (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Act on requests for write-offs and write-off adjustments; Review and sign the FY2022 LA-3 sales report and LA-15 Interim Year Adjustment Report; accept Deputy Assessor resignation

• Board of Selectmen Meeting, 6:15 pm @ Hearing Room, Town House, 17 Common St (agenda and packet) Agenda Highlights: Interviews for Youth Commission; Update on Public Safety communications; Special Town Meeting Article to Establish Authority of Fire Chief; Proposed grant support consultant for ARPA funding; Public Works updates and Contract for Downtown Main Street and Various Streets Projects; Flagg Road HVCE request; Open Warrant and discuss Articles for Special Town Meeting; Review updated Noise Bylaw Ad-Hoc Committee charge; Proposed Tree Policy; Mask mandate for Town buildings; Process to fill Board of Health vacancy

• Recreation Commission Meeting, 6:30 pm @ Rec Dept Office, 21 Highland Street (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Updates on Programming and projects in progress: Program Coordinator open position; Capital planning request for FY23-FY31

Wednesday, August 18, 2021 

• Personnel Board Meeting, 12:00 pm @ remote meeting (agenda and packet) Agenda Highlights: Expenditure ledger; follow up on Hiring in Southborough and Town Org Charts; Senior IT Specialist; Draft guidance on process for new SAP positions

• Taxation Aid Committee Meeting, 4:30 pm @ Hearing Room, Town House, 17 Common St (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Schedule a Senior Center breakfast FAQ session and a fall Trust Board meeting; Discuss protocol for applicants that may be moving out of town during the application process.

• Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting, 7:00 pm @ remote meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Hearing on 163 Parkerville Rd variance

• Economic Development Committee Meeting, 7:30 pm @ remote meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Downtown District zoning bylaw, Final EEA Reporting and Water Feasibility Study; Mass Development Grant Application; EDC ability to sponsor Warrant Articles; Meal’s Tax EDC position memo; Downtown Zoning Map

• Master Plan Committee Meeting, 7:30 pm @ remote meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Discuss edits/recommendations for chapters on Land Use & Zoning, Open Space & Rec, Sense of Community, Circulation & Transportation; Review Vision and Process

Thursday, August 19, 2021

• Municipal Technology Committee Meeting, 7:00 pm @ remote meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Survey results analysis; Tech updates

*In normal days, some of Southborough Access Media broadcasts some meetings live and/or delayed via cable and YouTube. Stay tuned to find out when they will be able to resume that function. In the meantime, if a meeting agenda doesn’t note a virtual means of watching, best presume there won’t be one.

**For meetings that offer remote/virtual interaction, The Town has a dedicated zoom account. To find those details, click here.

Updated (8/16/21 4:25 pm): Fixed the link for the BOS meeting packet.

Updated (8/17/21 9:30 am): Fixed the date and link for the Personnel Board meeting and meeting packet.