Eleanor Dash
Kevin Sullivan
Town Meeting members met last night for more than three hours at Belmont High School for the second of three nights of Special Town Meeting to address restaurant bylaws, the allocation of Community Preservation funds and the town’s rainy day fund.
Article 6: Amend Restaurant Zoning Bylaws
Two-thirds vote required for passage.
• This was approved by a vote of 239-9 with 1 abstention
Town Meeting members broke into applause and cheers last night after voting resoundingly to change Belmont’s restaurant bylaws.
Article 6 was proposed to make it easier for restaurants to open in town, by streamlining the bylaws.
Select Board Vice Chair Elizabeth Dionne has been leading the charge on this issue as part of a longer-term campaign to increase Belmont’s non-residential tax revenue, which is currently about 5%.
Last night’s vote changed the restaurant bylaws to replace four restaurant categories with two new categories: “Food Service Establishment” and “Food Service Establishment, Formula Based.” The formula based, or chain restaurant, would need a special permit when opening anywhere in Belmont. All other restaurants would not. The goal is to create a more business-friendly environment by simplifying the process of opening a restaurant in Belmont.
The most contentious debate came over an amendment from Select Board Chair Roy Epstein. He asked that the article be amended to change the threshold for a formula based, or chain, restaurant from 10 or more locations to 50 or more locations.
Several Town Meeting members spoke out against that amendment, emphasizing that town committees had done research into best practices, and supported the original language. However, the amendment passed 144-99 with six abstentions.
Meanwhile, Epstein asked Town Meeting to dismiss Warrant Article 7, which would have decreased the number of off-street parking spaces that a restaurant must provide. Epstein said the Select Board still wants to address parking, but the issue needs more research. Town Meeting voted 216-17 to dismiss the article.
Article 2: Community Preservation Fund Allocations
A majority vote is required for the passage of the article.
Votes for the three proposals are listed below.
This warrant article allows Belmont to use Community Preservation Act (CPA) Funds for stabilizing the Town Hall retaining wall, roof restoration of the school administration building, and design work for the Belmont Community Path.
Community Preservation Funds are annual distributions from the state Community Preservation Trust Fund for projects involving open spaces, affordable housing and historic preservation. The Belmont Community Preservation Committee (CPC), chaired by Select Board Member Elizabeth Dionne, recommends projects for Town Meeting to consider for CPA funding.
According to Dionne, these projects cannot wait for the regular funding cycle at the annual Town Meeting in the spring.
The CPC requested:
- $335,868 for the Belmont Community Path project. This off-road, multi-use path aims to create a walkable and bikeable route through town and become part of the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT), connecting Boston to Northampton. The funding will cover the design plans for Phase 1 of the project, linking the Alewife Path at Brighton Street to Belmont Center and constructing a pedestrian walkway under the railroad tracks, connecting the Winn Brook neighborhood with the new Belmont Middle and High School.
- This was approved by a vote of 221-9 with 3 abstentions.
- $160,000 to stabilize the collapsed Town Hall retaining wall. This funding will support engineering and design work.
- This was approved by a vote of 225-1 with 2 abstentions.
- $200,000 for the restoration of the school administration building’s roof, due to a leak that may worsen if not addressed.
- This was approved by a vote of 230-1 with 1 abstention.
Article 3: Rainy Day Fund
Majority vote required for passage.
• (a) was approved 242-0 with 3 abstentions
• (b) was approved 237-0 with 3 abstentions
The town will transfer (a) $727,500 to the Capital Stabilization fund and (b) $727,500 to the General Stabilization fund.
The final night of Special Town Meeting will be Monday night at 7 p.m. The Belmont Voice will be reporting on the proceedings.
