BCAT News

The third and final meeting of the year for Burlington’s Town Meeting is set to begin the evening of September 29 in the Fogelberg Performing Arts Center.

The warrant is short this time around, with only thirteen articles, but two are expected to prompt lengthy discussions. The High School Building Project and the MBTA Communities Zoning.

Articles 3 and 4, pertain to the proposed Burlington High School Building Project.

Article 3 is a request of $340,000,000 for a new and renovated Burlington High School. The sum is expected to cover project management, project design services, and construction. The High School Building Project has been the subject of debate amongst the community for a long time. The Select Board voted unanimously in favor of this article. Members of the Building Committee spoke at this week’s Town Meeting Information Session.

Article 4 is to approve the funding of $30,000 to hold a special election for the public to vote on a debt exclusion for the potential High School Building Project. The special election, if approved by Town Meeting, would be held on November 15. The Select Board voted 4-1 in favor. 

What is a debt exclusion? Check out this episode of BNEWS In Depth from last year for a full breakdown.

Article 9 if passed would see an amendment to Article XIII of the Town of Burlington General Bylaws. The amendment would see the implementation of a fee for services of the Burlington Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services when responding to a non-emergency lift assist to long-term health care facilities within the town. The Select Board voted unanimously in favor, but also expressed concerns that these fees would fall on the responsibility of the residents, and these care facilities’ reliance on Burlington’s Emergency Services.

Article 10 is put forth by the Conservation Commission and seeks to Amend and Rename the Stormwater and Erosion and Sedimentation Control Bylaw. This bylaw initially went before the body at the May Town Meeting, but failed after a very close recount (44-43). Conservation has re-submit the amendment, and plans to address the concerns of the body next week.

Article 12 is an amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, adding an additional subdistrict to the MBTA Communities Multi-Family Overlay District, requested by Nordblom and put forth by The Select Board.

This would allow the Nordblom Company to demolish two out-of-use office buildings on Middlesex Turnpike, and construct a 188-Unit, Multi-Family Dwelling across from 3rd Ave. Todd-Fremont Smith of Nordblom presented the project at this week’s Town Meeting Information Session.

Article 13 is a Resolution Concerning Violations at the ICE Detention Facility located in The District, which has been the subject of attention in town and across the state for many months. There have been many reports of the conditions within the facility, which violate zoning laws in town. At this time, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has denied the Town’s formal request to inspect the facility. If the resolution were to go forward, a formal copy of it would be sent to the Select Board, Building Inspector, Police Department, Representatives Seth Moulton and Jake Auchincloss, the Governor of Massachusetts, and the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. This article was submitted by Phyllis Neufeld of Precinct 5. 

The full warrant can be found on the town’s website. Town Meeting will come to order at 7 p.m. on September 29. BCAT will broadcast the meeting live on our Government Channel, as well as livestream on our BCAT Government Facebook and Youtube.