Spring 2025 Town Meeting

Warrant Articles (Spring 2025)

Please note, consent agenda items including miscellaneous committee and board updates are not included below.

For the full warrant, please view here.

ARTICLE 4. Floodplain Overlay District

Updates to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), which define the boundaries of the Floodplain Overlay District (FPOD) in Winchester, to ensure continued flood insurance eligibility for residents within the district. 

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to amend Section 8.1 Floodplain Overlay District (FPOD) and Section 10 Definitions of the Winchester Zoning Bylaw to update the Bylaw in accordance with new National Flood Insurance Program guidelines as printed in the warrant under Article 4.

BACKGROUND

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to reduce flood-related impacts on private and public properties by providing affordable insurance and requiring communities to enforce floodplain management regulations. A key component of this program is the issuance and periodic updating of Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), which in Winchester define the boundaries of the Floodplain Overlay District (FPOD).

On January 8, 2025, FEMA announced that updated FIRMs will take effect on July 8, 2025. These updates help communities adapt to changing flood risks, update zoning and resource protection laws, and enhance public safety by mitigating flood hazards.

To remain in good standing with the NFIP, Winchester must adopt the revised FIRMs and update the FPOD before the July 8, 2025, deadline. Approval of this article will ensure continued flood insurance eligibility for residents within the updated FPOD.

ARTICLES 5 and 6. The Ledges Condominium

Release a portion of the condominium property and rezone to permit construction of a single-family house.
Note: The articles were withdrawn from 2024 Fall Town Meeting, and the Planning Board has not recommended Article 6 for consideration at the 2025 Spring Town Meeting. The sponsor may withdraw one or both.

A5 MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to approve Article 5 as printed in the warrant.

A5 BACKGROUND

The Ledges Condominium is seeking to release an approximately 20,000 sf portion of its common area open space, in order for said parcel to be separated from the Ledges Condominium property. This release is required pursuant to a condition contained within a Zoning Board of Appeals Decision for the Ledges dated October 28, 1982 (petition 768550-5) which required a majority vote of Winchester Town Meeting and approval by the Planning Board in order to release any unimproved common area open space. This is a companion Article to the rezoning article for this same parcel. This Article was withdrawn from the Warrant last Fall to address several items raised by Town Meeting members. We have worked hard to address those items, including an agreement to provide an expanded Conservation Restriction area elsewhere on the property, and believe we have addressed these items appropriately.

A6 MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED THAT the Town vote to approve Article 6 as printed in the warrant.

A6 BACKGROUND

The Ledges Condominium is seeking to rezone an approximately 20,000 sf parcel of land from the existing Planned Residential District (PRD) to the Residential District A (RDA-20). This parcel to be rezoned is on the outer perimeter of the Ledges Condominium land and has the required frontage and direct access to Wainwright Road and abuts land which is similarly zoned RDA-20. Any structure to be constructed on this lot would need to obtain the requisite permits and approvals from the Town of Winchester before being developed, and once constructed would generate additional annual recurring property tax revenue for the Town. This Article was withdrawn from the Warrant last Fall to address several items raised by Town Meeting members. We have worked hard to address those items, including an agreement to provide an expanded Conservation Restriction area elsewhere on the property, and believe we have addressed these items appropriately.

ARTICLE 7. Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides

Reduce or eliminate use of SGARs on town property.
Note: At the Town Manager’s Public Hearing, the Town Manager reported that the sponsor may withdraw the article.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to amend the Code of Bylaws by adding Chapter 27. Said Chapter 27 is to eliminate the use of Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARS).

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this bylaw is to codify the actions the Town of Winchester is taking to reduce or eliminate the use of SGARS on town properties. These actions include eliminating exterior baiting at Townhall and the Public Safety Building; requesting and receiving a budget increase to perform more surveillance; installing snap traps in certain exterior bait boxes as a beta for reducing the use of SGARS; and monitoring problems at schools and other town buildings, then taking corrective action as required. Currently, non-SGAR products are used at the Transfer Station.

To further these efforts, cost considerations must be reviewed and budgets increased (as necessary). Annual Integrated Pest Management Plans submitted by schools to the MA Department of Agricultural Resources should be updated to reflect rodent control products in use. Pest management companies should be informed about requirements for using non-SGAR pest controls. The evaluation of implementing non-SGAR pest control on town properties should occur prior to the next budget cycle (2026) and on school properties during the following budget cycle (2027) because of their more diverse and complicated needs.

SGARS are harmful to family pets, and non-target predator species (eagles, hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, etc.) when ingested. They also harm our larger ecosystem, including water supplies. The secondary poisoning of natural predators of rodents can have a counterproductive, long-term impact on rodent control efforts. Studies indicate that genetic mutations have occurred in certain rats and mice, allowing their blood to clot despite ingesting SGARS. This resistance to SGARS reduces their effectiveness as a form of pest control.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources requires all schools to maintain Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans. School and any other town-wide IPMs should be reviewed to ensure the program descriptions are accurate, up to date and reflect pest management/rodent control products in use.

Two bills to restrict the use of rodenticides in Massachusetts, S644 and H965, are in committee on Beacon Hill pending review and hearings.

The MSPCA, MA Fish and Wildlife and MA Audubon through its Rescue Raptor program support efforts to reduce/eliminate the use of SGARS.

ARTICLE 16. Capital Projects

Appropriate money for:
1. High School Concrete Topside Repair & Remediation
2. ADA Transition Plan
3. DPW Roads & Sidewalks
4. FEMA Floodplain Map Updates
5. DPW – Roadside Brush Cutter
6. Building Department Vehicle
7. DPW Transfer Station Trailer
8. Building Department Records Management
9. Water & Sewer – MS4 Compliance
10. Water & Sewer – Computer Programming Water Treatment Plant
Note: The Capital Planning Committee reported that Projects 6, 7 and 8 are being funded in lieu of funding for the Everett Avenue culvert project, which has been delayed. Project 8 involves digitizing about 5,000 building permits for access and record keeping.

MOTIONS:

MOTION #1: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $450,000 from the Building Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2002 for the High School Concrete Topside Repair & Remediation Project, including construction, equipment and engineering and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #2: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $125,000 from the Capital Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2002 for the ADA Transition Plan including construction, equipment and engineering and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #3: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $500,000 from the Capital Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2002 for DPW Roads and Sidewalks including construction, engineering and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #4: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $175,000 from the Capital Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2002 for FEMA Flood Plain Map Update and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #5: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $50,000 from the Capital Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2002 for DPW Roadside Brush Cutter and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #6: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $45,000 from the Capital Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2002 for a Building Department Vehicle and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #7: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $110,000 from the Capital Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2002 for a DPW Transfer Station Trailer and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #8: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $102,000 from the Capital Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2002 for Building Department Records Management and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #9: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $150,000 from Water & Sewer Retained Earnings for MS4 Permit Compliance and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

MOTION #10: MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $75,000 from Water & Sewer Retained Earnings for Computer Programming Water Treatment Plant and all other costs incidental and related thereto.

ARTICLE 17. Woodside Road Pumping Station

Reconstruction of the sewer pump station and sewer force main.
Note: The Capital Planning Committee reported that the 1953 facility is failing.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED That $1,500,000 is appropriated to pay costs of remodeling, reconstructing and making extraordinary repairs at the Woodside Road Pumping Station, including rebuilding the existing Woodside Road Pumping Station and modifying and upgrading the sewer force main located in the vicinity of the Woodside Road Pumping Station, including the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto; that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, is authorized to borrow said amount pursuant to G.L. c.44, §7(1), §8(4) or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; that the Town Manager shall be authorized to have oversight of the project; and that in accordance with Section 4-2 of the Town of Winchester Home Rule Charter, the Town Manager shall have the authority to enter into contracts and approve payments with respect to the project.

BACKGROUND

Article 17 will include a motion to fund construction of the Woodside Road Pumping Station in the amount of $1,500,000. Engineering work for this project was previously approved by Town Meeting. This is a borrowing authorization to be funded from the Water & Sewer Enterprise fund.

ARTICLE 18a. Cambridge Street Water System

Improvements to the water system along Cambridge Street and in the Cambridge Street area.
Note: Relining and/or replacement of deteriorating water lines serving about 40 homes.

ARTICLE 18b. Muraco Flood Mitigation Culverts

Installation of two 8-foot diameter culverts under the rail lines behind the Muraco School.
Note: The MBTA is requesting additional work to reinforce the weight-bearing capacity of the existing culverts. This is the last of the projects under the Town’s 20-year flood mitigation program.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that $800,000 is appropriated to pay costs of construction of improvements to the water system located on Cambridge Street and in the Cambridge Street area, including the payment of all costs incidental and related thereto; that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, is authorized to borrow said amount pursuant to G.L. c.44, §7(1), §8(4) or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; that the Town Manager shall be authorized to have oversight of the project; and that in accordance with Section 4-2 of the Town of Winchester Home Rule Charter, the Town Manager shall have the authority to enter into contracts and approve payments with respect to the project.

BACKGROUND

Article 18 will include a motion to fund construction of water system quality improvements in the Cambridge Street area in the amount of $800,000. Engineering work for this project was funded at Fall Town Meeting. This is a borrowing authorization to be funded from the Water & Sewer Enterprise fund.

ARTICLE 19. Muraco Culvert

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate an additional sum of money to pay costs to install additional culverts behind the Muraco Elementary School for flood mitigation purposes, including engineering expenses and all other costs incidental and related thereto; to determine whether this appropriation shall be raised by borrowing or otherwise; to determine whether in accordance with Section 4-2 of the Town of Winchester Home Rule Charter the Town Manager shall have the authority to enter into contracts and approve payments with respect to the project; or to take any other action relative thereto.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that an additional sum of $2,600,000 is appropriated to pay costs to install additional culverts behind the Muraco Elementary School for flood mitigation purposes, including engineering expenses and all other costs incidental and related thereto; that to meet this appropriation the Treasurer with the approval of the Select Board is authorized to borrow said amount under Chapter 44, Section 7(1) of the General Laws, or under any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; that the Town Manager shall be authorized to have oversight of the project; and that in accordance with Section 4-2 of the Town of Winchester Home Rule Charter the Town Manager shall have the authority to enter into contracts and approve payments with respect to the project.

BACKGROUND

The Town of Winchester developed the Aberjona Flood Mitigation Program in response to a series of severe flooding events in the mid-1990s and early 2000’s. Over the past 25 years, the Town has completed construction on nine publicly funded projects, including widening of river channel downstream of Waterfield Road, improvements to the Swanton Street bridge and Center Falls Dam, and installation of a supplemental culvert under Skillings Field. The final project consists of the construction of two 8-foot diameter culverts under the railroad viaduct behind the Muraco Elementary School, to supplement the existing box culverts that carry the Aberjona River under the tracks. Once complete, the project will reduce 100-year flood levels near the Muraco School by approximately 3.5-feet and remove 43 buildings upstream of the culvert from the FEMA regulatory floodplain entirely, including the Muraco School. Flood elevations, and associated impacts, will be reduced for another 29 buildings.

Winchester voter’s approved a Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion override for this project in March 2021, and in May 2021 Town Meeting authorized the borrowing of $9.11 million for the project. Over the ensuing years, project costs increased significantly due to inflationary circumstances related to the global pandemic. In November 2023, Town Meeting approved a supplemental borrowing authorization, bringing the estimated costs to $10.2 million (of which $415,592.40 was appropriated from unexpended bond proceeds).

Following a lengthy permitting process, the Town put the project out to bid and awarded a contract to the low bidder in summer 2024. During initial coordination meetings with the MBTA, and despite the existence of a valid license agreement with the MBTA approving the project as bid, they expressed concerns with how the project would impact the stability of their existing culverts and stated that they would no longer allow a temporary track crossing. The Town, our engineering consultant, and the contractor have been working over the past several months to develop a plan that is acceptable to the MBTA and other permitting agencies. The MBTA is now requiring the Town to install a permanent sleeve with grouted annular space between the existing culvert inter walls and sleeve outer walls within each of the existing culvert barrels.

An additional $2.6 million is now required to complete the project. Spring 2025 Town Meeting is being asked to increase the existing borrowing authorization by said amount.

ARTICLE 20. Town Assets Funding

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer Free Cash or other available funds, a sum of money for extending the useful life of Town assets including but not limited to equipment, vehicles, building systems or any other Town infrastructure, and further, to authorize the Town Manager, in consultation with the Capital Planning Committee, to administer and expend funds from said account, or take any other action in relation thereto.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town appropriate $200,000 from Free Cash to a Strategic Capital Maintenance Fund for extending the useful life of Town assets including but not limited to equipment, vehicles, building systems or any other Town infrastructure, and further, to authorize the Town Manager, in consultation with the Capital Planning Committee, to administer and expend funds from said account effective July 1, 2025.

BACKGROUND

Starting in Spring 2015, Town Meeting has each year approved $100,000 from Free Cash to be used towards the implementation of a strategic capital maintenance program. The goal of this program is to fill the gap between routine maintenance and major capital replacement projects, and allow staff to react quickly to capital needs outside of the normal capital/Town Meeting funding cycle and fiscal year constraints. The primary objective is to make strategic repairs and improvements that extend the useful life of the Town’s buildings, vehicles, and other infrastructure as cost-effectively as possible. For FY26, the Town Manager is recommending that funding be increased to $200,000, with use of the funds to be authorized by the Manager in consultation with the Capital Planning Committee.

ARTICLE 21. Water and Sewer Rates

Increase rates by 8 percent.
Note: Proposed rates compensate for increased MWRA charges (based on metering of actual sewage discharge rates) and replenish retained earnings to cover operations and capital improvements.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to amend the water and sewer rates currently in effect in accordance with Chapter 7, Section 3 of the Town of Winchester Code of By-Laws. All bills for consumption on or after March 1, 2025, shall be in conformance with the following rates:

BACKGROUND

As a result of the FY 2025 rate study last year, the Town increased its water and sewer rates by 9.5% and increased its per-bill service charge from $30 to $35 for FY 2025. In addition to the changes for FY 2025, projections showed a need to increase rates by 9.5% annually for FY 2026 through FY 2028 and by 6.0% for FY 2029. The Select Board supported this rate plan in March of 2024.

User charges revenue for FY 2025 is projected to be $7.7 million, which is well above the FY 2024 amount of $6.1 million. The Select Board recently authorized the use of about $317,000 of ARPA funds to offset MWRA operating assessments in FY 2025. With these things factored in, FY 2025 projects to end in surplus by about $1.65 million, of which $317,000 is due to the ARPA funding and $1.36 million is due to retained earnings funding. If those two funding sources are removed, FY 2025 would be close to breakeven. This shows that the fund’s revenues barely cover its expenses even with a very strong revenue year.

Projected retained earnings at the end of FY 2025 are $1.65 million, which would be up from the $724,000 amount recently certified. The projected balance of $1.65 million is 11.6% of projected FY 2024 expenses. The Town’s target for the retained earnings balance is between 8% and 10% of the budget.

The Town recently received its preliminary FY 2026 water and sewer assessments from the MWRA. The water assessment increased a total of 18.5%, compared to FY 2025’s assessment. The O&M portion of the water assessment increased 20.0% and the capital portion of the water assessment increased 17.2%. The sewer assessment increased a total of 7.3%, compared to FY 2025’s assessment. The O&M portion of the sewer assessment increased 10.5% and the capital portion of the sewer assessment increased 5.0%. The total assessment increased 13.2%. The O&M portion of the total assessment increased 21.1% and the capital portion of the total assessment increased 7.7%.

This is the third straight year that Winchester’s sewer O&M assessment increase has been much higher than what it is in a “typical” year. Recently, the MWRA was asked about the large increase, and the Town was told that the O&M assessment had been impacted by higher chemical and utility costs in FY 2024 that should stabilize in the short term. That stabilization was not evident with last year’s assessments and the Town requested additional information from the MWRA about last year’s increases. The MWRA indicated that the increases in the recent past are due to the MWRA’s use of new sewer meters, starting in 2022, and actual sewer flow reads have proven to be much higher than estimates recently used by the MWRA. The FY 2026 assessment should be the last year reflecting this additional impact and FY 2027’s sewer O&M assessments should return to “typical” increases.

There continues to be a need for rate action in FY 2026 and beyond, as the fund continues to see large revenue deficits in future years. In short, revenues still are not keeping up with expenses and, therefore, there continues to be a reliance on retained earnings to balance the budget. Almost $900,000 in retained earnings was needed to balance FY 2025’s budget. With no rate action for FY 2026, FY 2026’s projected deficit is again over $900,000 and that does not include planned capital spending out of retained earnings.

Retained earnings can cover this projected deficit to supplement the budget so it is balanced, resulting in a projected retained earnings balance of about $750,000 after the closing of FY 2026.

For FY 2026, the Select Board is prepared to recommend an 8.0% increase in water and sewer rates for consumption on or after March 1, 2025. All bills issued during FY 2026 would include the updated rates. The above motion represents the final recommendations of the Select Board.

ARTICLE 22. FY2026 Budget

Appropriate funds for the operating budget.
Note: The Finance Committee is recommending an FY2026 operating budget of approximately $147.2M, the largest element of which is the education budget. As of their April 24 public hearing, the FinCom is recommending that $68.7M be appropriated for the Winchester Public Schools operating budget (yellow sheet line item 29). The School Committee is recommending that $70.4M be appropriated for the operating budget. Both anticipate that the Early Literacy Pilot Initiative will be funded separately at $455K through Article 28. Discussions on options to close the gap are ongoing. For more information, please review the Finance Committee Report, the WPS budget page, and the FY2026 Yellow Sheet.

ARTICLE 28. Literacy Initiative

Fund an Early Literacy Pilot Initiative to support a literacy pilot program and educator training in evidence-based reading instruction.
Note: The article would provide $455K of one-time funding from Free Cash or other available funds for the pilot program, which is part of a tiered approach to addressing literacy needs in Winchester.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town vote to appropriate $455,000 from Free Cash for an Early Literacy Pilot Initiative. The program is to be managed by the Winchester School Department through its superintendent. Funds will support professional development and enhancement for Winchester Public School educators and staff, the purchase of literacy data management software and support for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) data management and progress monitoring tools and the purchase of programmatic and curricular materials related to the Early Literacy Pilot initiative.

BACKGROUND

The Winchester School District, through its superintendent, has developed a comprehensive strategy for identifying and addressing deficiencies in its literacy curriculum. This strategy adopts a tiered approach formed through dialogue and engagement with the Winchester Public School Early Literacy Team (ELT), which includes staff, literacy specialists, and outside educational consultants.

To better understand Winchester’s literacy needs, the superintendent engaged the Collaborative for Educational Services to evaluate the district’s literacy program. On June 24, 2024, the Collaborative released a 111-page report that identified three areas for improvement: Curricular Incoherence, Tiers of Support, and guidance from District-level Leadership.

As part of that analysis, an anonymous survey of Winchester educators indicated that professional development should be prioritized along with curriculum improvements. Because of historic underfunding for professional development for educators and staff, training has been done internally. To comprehensively address literacy needs in Winchester, it is recommended that outside professional development led by experts in the field be supported in conjunction with new curricular pilot programs. The pilot literacy programs as identified by the ELT are also supported by this funding. Additional needs related to the Initiative include data management tools to track and evaluate student needs for instruction and to provide support of multi-tiered systems of support.

While the superintendent and School Committee have committed to investment in literacy, funding must be provided to be successful and accomplished. As Winchester faces imminent structural financial pressures in the upcoming budget cycle, likely needing a general override, evaluating programs, data management and professional development programmatic improvements is essential so they may be funded substantially and strategically. The Early Literacy Initiative Pilot program seeks to respond to the recommendations of the Collaborative report while providing accurate assessment and long-term funding information to inform an override budget.

ARTICLE 30. Community Preservation Budget

Appropriate $1.6M to the Community Preservation Fund.
Note: The Winchester Committee on Community Preservation will be recommending allocation of the funds to specific projects at future Town Meetings.  State matching funds will be available in FY2027.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town appropriate or reserve from Community Preservation Fund fiscal year 2026 revenue or available funds the amounts recommended by the Winchester Committee on Community Preservation in the table below for Committee administrative expenses and community preservation reserves and other expenses in fiscal year 2026, with each of them to be considered a separate appropriation.

BACKGROUND

FY 2026 will be the first year that Winchester will collect and receive funds directed to Community Preservation. Spring 2024 Town Meeting approved Article 9, the adoption of MGL Chapter 44B, the Community Preservation Act. Also approved was Article 10, describing the composition and the duties of Committee on Community Preservation, which will administer the Community Preservation Act. With approval, Article 10 became the Chapter 25 bylaw of the amendments to the Town Charter. The distribution of Community Preservation funds follows rules presented in the State’s Community Preservation act and approved by Town vote in November 2024. Per these rules, 10% of funds must be reserved for each of Open Space and Recreation, Historical Preservation, and Affordable Housing. Up to 5% can be reserved for administrative costs. The remaining 65% is a general reserve that is directed to each of the three categories in amounts to be determined at a later date. Note that the revenues presented here are of necessity an estimate of the surcharge revenues that will be collected during FY2026. Note also that no State funds will be received in FY2026 as the State’s distribution is based on the previous year’s surcharge receipts. As of this Town Meeting, the Committee continues to establish its processes for receipt of funding proposals and its processes for making determinations and recommendations regarding such proposals. As such, the budget presented here calls for all revenue to be placed into the required reserve funds, except for an appropriation for projected costs associated with Committee administration and operations. Such administration and operations costs can include: administrative assistance and expenses, legal and consulting fees, and member dues to the non-profit Community Preservation Coalition. Appropriations from these reserved funds directed to specific proposals in the three funded categories of Open Space and Recreation, Affordable Housing, and Historical Preservation will be included in articles presented at upcoming Town Meetings.

ARTICLE 31. Authorize easement for the purpose of wetland remediation
Note: The Planning Board approved a Special Permit for 10 Converse Place in 2022. The original developer filed for bankruptcy. A new developer is interested in purchasing the property and has requested amendments to the approved plans. The Planning Board has not yet determined whether the proposed changes are substantial enough to require full site plan review and resubmission of a Special Permit application. However, if approved, the MassDEP may require wetland remediation of the riverbanks around the Mill Pond and other wetlands elsewhere along the Aberjona. Remediation by the developer would require an easement to enter and conduct any work.

MOTION

MOVED AND SECONDED that the Town approve Article 31 as printed in the Warrant.

BACKGROUND

In March 2022, the Planning Board approved a Special Permit for construction of a new building at 10 Converse Place, which included 43 residential units and two ground-floor commercial units. The project also required review by the Winchester Conservation Commission, and in January 2023, the Commission denied the project under both the Wetlands Protection Act and the Town’s local bylaw. The applicant appealed that decision to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and Superior Court for the local bylaw.

MassDEP is still in the process of reviewing the appeal and is considering the issuance of a Superseding Order of Conditions. The current applicant has approached the Select Board with a request to utilize the Town-owned property around Mill Pond (Parcel 9-18) to complete off-site restoration/mitigation that is likely to be required by MassDEP. The proposed work would include additional landscaping and planting.

Town Meeting is being asked to authorize the Select Board to lease or convey an easement in said property for these purposes.

ARTICLES 37 to 55. Decennial Bylaw Review

Amend the Town’s Bylaws.