Precinct 1, 3, 5 Meeting - Apr 18, 2026

Meeting held via remote participation. Materials were available from https://www.arlingtonma.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/39578/.

Article 23 - Tree Preservation and Protection

(Robin Bergman, Petitioner) Ms. Bergman says she'll be filing a substitute motion for Article 23, as the Select Board recommended no action. Arlington has been losing trees despite the town's tree protection bylaw and we've lost 7% of our tree canopy in five years. The current bylaw protects trees of 6" DBH or greater within lot setbacks, but trees outside the setbacks aren't protected. Article 23 would regulate the removal of trees of 10" DBH or greater outside of setbacks. The purpose is to try to protect as many large trees as possible. Ms. Bergman says that Cambridge, Newton, and Brookline have similar laws.

(Vince Baudoin) Mr. Baudoin wonders if this might need more thought. For example, a person who was planning to see their property to a builder might clear trees before selling it.

(Robin Bergman) Ms. Bergman thinks the existing bylaw already addresses that. Someone could remove a protected tree, but they'd have to pay into the tree fund.

(Sue Janowitz) Ms. Janowitz asks about the figures for the number of trees lost. Does that include the entire town or only lots where building happened?

(Robin Bergman) Ms. Bergman believes it's only lots where there was new construction.

(Crystal Haynes) Ms. Haynes asks what the fine is for removing a protected tree.

(Robin Bergman) Ms. Bergman believes it's $300/inch.

Article 28 - Additional All-Alcohol Licenses

(Steve DeCourcey, Select Board) Mr. DeCourcey says that article 28 concerns all-alcohol licenses in restaurants. Arlington has 20 of these licenses available. Sixteen have been issued and there are two applications pending. Smaller restaurants are now eligible to apply for these licenses. State law allows one all-alcohol license per 1000 residents, but Arlington started with five of these licenses in 1978. This is a two step process. If Town Meeting approves article 28, we'll send a home rule petition to the legislature. If the legislature approves, there will be a ballot question in an upcoming election. Article 28 requests 30 licenses. Mr. DeCourcey says the Select Board wanted to avoid there being a secondary market for licenses, because none are available.

(Greg Dennis) Mr. Dennis asks why we aren't going to 50.

(Steve DeCourcey) Mr. DeCourcey says that Arlington has historically made these changes slowly and incrementally. The Select Board wanted to be consistent with past practices.

Articles 32, 96 - First Generation Anti-Coagulant Rodenticides

(Laura Kiesel, Petitioner) Ms. Kiesel says that Article 32 is a home rule petition that would ban the use of first generation anti-coagulant rodenticides (FGARs) on private property, and Article 96 is a resolution asking that they be banned on public property. Rodents have developed resistance to FGARs but their predators have not. Town meeting passed similar legislation for second generation rodenticides in 2022 and 48 other municipalities have done something similar. Some birds are especially sensitive to FGARs. They've killed other wildlife, like bobcats and gray foxes. Cats and dogs are also frequently affected by FGARs. California has a moratorium on FGAR use. Article 96 also asks the town not to use Bomethalin which is a neurotoxin and a PFAS. Several organizations have endorsed these articles, and the Select Board recommended favorable action 4--0--1.

ARB Zoning Articles

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak summarizes zoning articles that the ARB has put on the warrant.

Article 39 involves accessory dwelling units. Arlington requires a special permit when an ADU is built within 6' of a lot line; this provision was added to allow non-conforming garages to be turned into ADUs. The Attorney general's office has informed the town that we cannot require a special permit in conjunction with a by-right use, so we propose changing the requirement to a finding.

Article 40 involves changes to the zoning map. Right now, anyone wishing to propose a map change has to send notices to all owners and abutters by certified mail, which is $6.08/letter. Article 40 would change this to first class, which is $0.78/letter. The intention is to make the notice requirement less financially burdensome, while preserving the requirement that notice be sent.

Article 41 involves the multi-family housing overlay. When we adopted the overlay in 2023 the state hadn't approved the town's request to use our existing affordable housing requirements, so there's conditional language to the effect of ``until the state approves our request. The state has approved our request, so the conditional language is no longer necessary and Article 41 would remove it.

Article 42 proposes a change to parking standards. It would reduce drive aisle widths from 24' to 22'. In mixed use buildings, there's always a conflict between space for the ground floor -- which includes the commercial space -- and space for parking. Narrowing the drive aisle allows for slightly more commercial space on the ground floor.

Article 43 would allow digital display technology to be used on Marquee signs. Arlington has two theaters, and both have old marquee signs. Digital displays would allow these signs to change without the need to manually swap out individual letters. A special permit would be required, and there are standards to require auto-dimming technology and to prohibit animated displays.

Article 44 has the longest main motion of all the zoning articles. It would adopt model language from the Department of Conservation and Recreation, which is a requirement for the town's continued participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.

Article 45 involves portable and temporary signs. Currently there is no limit on the number of A-frame signs a business could have and Article 45 would establish a limit of one per business. It would also limit businesses to one temporary wall banner, which could be displayed for a maximum of 30 days. The intent is to encourage businesses to replace temporary signs with permanent ones.

Animal daycare is currently allowed in the industrial district, and Article 46 would allow it in all of the business districts. There are people interested in starting these kinds of businesses in Arlington, and allowing the use in more places should make it easier for them to do so.

Article 49 proposes a change to the definition of building height in the Floodplain Overlay District. In the floodplain overly, height would be measured from the curb or the base flood elevation, whichever is higher. This would allow new buildings to be constructed, and existing buildings to be raised above the base flood elevation. It's a resiliency measure.

Article 48 is a change to residential parking standards. It basically says that they'd apply to the multi-family overlay district too. It includes things like the requirement for a vegetated buffer around driveways.

Article 49 - Home Occupations

(Andy Greenspon, Petitioner) Mr. Greenspon starts with the motivation for Article 49. Starting a business is challenging. Commercial space is expensive, there isn't much of it in Arlington, and commercial spaces typically come with multi-year leases. Article 49 would allow more businesses to start at home, without having to go to the commercial real estate market. Home occupations would be allowed to have one employee, they could sell products they produce, and they'd be allowed one two square foot sign. The article sets rules for operating hours, traffic, and hazardous materials along with some minor reorganization to the home occupation section of the bylaw. Different municipalities have different rules for home occupations, and these changes are middle of the road when compared to surrounding communities.

(Joanne Preston) Ms. Preston asks if this would apply to taking care of pets.

(Andy Greenspon) Mr. Greenspon says Article 49 makes no changes in that regard.

(Joanne Cullinane) Ms. Cullinane asks how we'd know if someone was running a wholesale business out of their home.

(Andy Greenspon) Mr. Greenspon says the method of enforcement would remain the same for home occupation uses.

Article 53 - Mixed use Bonus in Multi-Family Districts

(Larry Slotnick, Petitioner) Mr. Slotnick says that he as Ms. Cullinane plan to file a substitute motion, as the redevelopment board recommended no action.

(Joanne Cullinane) Ms. Cullinane says this article applies to the mixed-use bonus in the multifamily district. The bonus allows five stories on Broadway and up to six stories on Mass Ave if 60% of the ground floor is devoted to commercial uses. She says there were thousands of stakeholders in the MBTA process and she thinks the redevelopment board is interpreting the bylaw in a way that shrinks the commercial space. She'd like the 60% to be measured against the building footprint rather than the interior of the first floor. She says there's no lower limit on the size of commercial spaces and she wants to clarify what she feels was the intent of town meeting in 2023. She thinks it's impossible for the public to verify that these requirements are being met.

(Andy Greenspon) Mr. Greenspon asks if this change is likely to generate more or less commercial space.

(Joanne Cullinane) Ms. Cullinane says she doesn't know and there's no way to know if lots might be combined. She thinks this change would provide meaningful commercial spaces.

(Andy Greenspon) Mr. Greenspon says Arlington has parking minimums and lots are generally small. Unless there's something to decrease the amount of parking required, he doesn't think commercial spaces will get any larger.

(Joanne Cullinane) Ms. Cullinane says applicants can request parking reductions by providing a transportation demand management plan, but the process for that is very confusing.

Article 67 - Hardy School Feasibility Study and Schematic Design

(Julie Wayman, Finance Director) Ms. Wayman says that Article 67 asks for $375,000 for a feasibility study to look at electrifying the Hardy School. The Massachusetts School Building Association invited Arlington to be part of a pilot program, and these costs will be factored in to the capital plan. The cost of construction would be around $4.5 million dollars. This is the very first stage of the project, and we'd consider geothermal and air source heat pumps. If the appropriation is approved we'll compare electrification options with those for in-kind system replacement. Hardy's heating and cooling systems are at their end of life and will need to be replaced in the next 3--5 years.

(Vince Baudoin) Mr. Baudoin asks how we'll pay for the replacement systems.

(Julie Wayman) Ms. Wayman says that $4.5 million is being factored into the capital budget. The capital planning committee looked at several options, and this seemed to be the amount they were comfortable with.

(Chris Porter) Mr. Porter asks about operating cost differences between the two systems.

(Julie Wayman) Ms. Wayman says we haven't looked into that aspect yet.

Article 89 - Hybrid Town Meeting Resolution

(Rebecca Gruber, Town Meeting Procedures Committee) Ms. Gruber says the hybrid town meeting study committee submitted their report last year, and the Town Meeting Procedures Committee supports this resolution. The way town meeting votes will determine whether we go forward with pursuing hybrid options. Our new contract for voting handsets will facilitate hybrid meetings. Ms. Gruber feels that a hybrid meeting format will allow more people to participate in town meeting.

Article 91 - Medicare for All Resolution

(Greg Dennis, Petitioner) Mr. Dennis says this article is an endorsement for house bill H.1405. The US spends more on healthcare than any other country but tends to get worse outcomes. Healthcare is expensive and many people carry medical debt. The town's health insurance costs have increased 13% over the last three years and we're one of 24 communities proposing medicare for all resolutions this year. A single payer system would return $30 billion/year to the state economy. This would be paid for via payroll and capital gains taxes.

Article 92 - Transitioning to Clean Heat Resolution

(Ann Boland, Petitioner) Ms. Boland says that Arlington has committed to reaching net zero by 2050. As people get off gas, it becomes more expensive for the people that remain. DPU 20-80 requires gas companies to evaluate alternatives before replacing gas lines. National grid doesn't explain how they calculate the cost of electrifying vs replacing a pipeline. Neighborhood electrification would allow entire streets to be converted in a coordinated way. She thinks this is the most cost-effective and equitable way to move forward with electrification.

Article 93 - Fourth Amendment Workplace Community Resolution

(Anju Joglekar, Petitioner) Ms. Joglekar says this resolution would designate Arlington as a fourth amendment workplace community. The fourth amendment of the US Constitution guarantees that people are free of searches in private places, unless there is a judicial warrant authorizing the search. A community organization has been talking to businesses about how to protect their employees, and they've contacted over 50 businesses so far. We want to be a diverse community, including people that might be targeted by ICE. The resolution is meant to reflect our values.