ZONING ARTICLES ON 2010 TOWN MEETING WARRANT

There are four zoning articles on the warrant for the 2010 Town Meeting. Three are sponsored by the Planning Board and one is sponsored by the Recreation Commission. A summary of each of the articles appears below. One of the Planning Board articles would create an adaptive use special permit process for properties on North Main Street across from the Business-General district.  This is repeated from last year after it fell just short of the 2/3 vote needed for approval. A second article would amend the requirements for accessory apartments in order to allow rental income to be received, and to allow occupancy by those who are not related to the owners nor serve as domestic help. The third amends the references to flood maps in order to recognize the new flood maps that will be available in June.

Sponsored by Planning Board

Adaptive Use Special Permit – This is a resubmission of an article that was first submitted last year. It would allow very limited business use, by special permit only, with tight controls on changes to the building. It essentially applies to just two buildings on North Main Street. They are directly across the street from the Sherborn Inn, which is in the Business General district, but these properties are zoned residential. They are clearly unique within the Residential A district because they are directly across the street from (and one actually abuts) the Business G district. Under this amendment, those houses would be required to continue at least one residence on the premises, but would be allowed some limited commercial uses (professional offices, studios, retail for handcrafted goods or arts and crafts items or antiques only). In return, the residential character of the premises must be maintained and historic or architectural aspects of the buildings must be retained or enhanced.

Accessory Apartments – This article essentially removes the prohibition against collecting rent and allowing persons who are not either relatives or domestic help to occupy an accessory apartment. It also increases the maximum size to 1200 square feet, but retains the limit of 30% of the primary dwelling (thus, only houses larger than 4000 square feet would qualify for an accessory apartment up to 1200 square feet). It puts Sherborn in line with other similar towns including Carlisle, Dover, Lincoln, Wayland and Weston (see attached table).

Flood Plain District – This is a housekeeping measure that updates the references to the FEMA flood maps (which have been redone and will be dated June 4, 2010. It also adds a phrase (at the request of FEMA) that the section of the bylaw applies whether or not such land is within a “Regulatory Floodway” designated by FEMA. Our bylaw makes no distinction between Regulated Floodways and other land anyway so adding this phrase really has no effect.

Sponsored by Recreation Commission (Withdrawn)

Accessory Municipal Use and Height Exception – This article does two things: it allows an accessory municipal use (which is private use of municipal property though a contractual arrangement) to exceed 250 square feet in area and adds temporary municipal uses to the list of uses exempt from the height requirement (municipal uses are already exempt).