Will Residential Design Guideline Committee Be Established?

Burlington resident, John Hickey, appeared before the Select Board to request that they collaborate with the other Town Boards to establish a subcommittee or task force to consider establishing a bylaw or design standards to govern new construction in existing neighborhoods.

This comes after a new home was built on his street that he and other neighbors say is out of place among the existing homes in the neighborhood. Hickey presented research from neighboring communities such as Winchester and Lexington regarding the process and design guidelines for new homes in residential neighborhoods.

Board Members told Hickey they understood his concern but cautioned him that, assuming the group was formed and a bylaw and design standards came out of it, a long road would be ahead before any of them are put into effect. They also expressed concerns about regulating what a private property owner can do with their property. There will likely be both pushback and support about such a process, and a long negotiation would likely be required.

At the Board's suggestion, Mr. Hickey will bring the question back to the Planning Board, and Select Board Member Nick Priest said he'd reach out as well to keep the conversation going.

Also at Select Board:

• The Department of Public Works appointed Will Saranjam and John Proctor as Special Equipment Operators.
• DPW Director Brian White presented to Select Board on the mailings that many residents will receive regarding lead water service materials. As a reminder, there is no documentation or test results to indicate any lead water service pipes exist in Burlington. Board member Priest suggested that the town give testing kits to residents on a fixed income who are concerned. Member Jim Tigges asked how a resident could get their home designated as lead free, rather than unknown; residents would be required to excavate their water service to confirm it doesn't consist of lead pipes. White reiterated that there is no change in water quality that has triggered these notices, and that they are being sent as a result of a regulation change at the national and state level.
• A new car sales business will open in Burlington.
• The town's tax classification was set for the FY25 tax year; the average residential tax bill will see an increase of about $284 per year, and the absolute residential tax rate is $8.70 per $1000 valuation, lower than any neighboring municipality other than Woburn.
• An agreement has made about the parking situation on Wellesley Ave. and Robin Rd. in order to ensure local residents and emergency vehicles are able to access the area while visitors to Mill Pond are present.

• The Select Board voted against placing a debt exclusion on April's local election ballot.
• The Select Board voted in support of the Town Center Signage Article, which will appear on the January Town Meeting Warrant. These proposed bylaws and accompanying guidelines have been created very deliberately over the years and in consultation with an outside consultant (covered by a state grant, though Town Meeting approved funding for it) in response to outdated and confusing bylaws and in an attempt to standardize requirements and ease the burden on business owners and the Zoning Board of Appeals for signage requests.
• The United Church of Christ, Congregational, will be hosting a Christmas Tree Sale for the community and donating 10% of proceeds to People Helping People, the organization that administers Burlington's food pantry. The sign advertising this event was approved to hang on the Common.
• The Economic Development Office had a number of updates, including the receipt of a $1,000,000 grant from MassWorks for pedestrian safety on Middlesex Turnpike. Director Melisa Tintocalis also shared a fiscal analysis about the Mixed Use rezoning project that is planned for the Mall Road corridor. This analysis suggests the initiative will result in about 20% greater revenue for the town versus leaving the area as-is.

The next Select Board meeting is scheduled for December 16.