Town Meeting Rejects Article 60, Approves Nearly Everything Else

WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington voters supported almost every article before them at the annual town meeting Saturday, but voted down an attempt to rezone a portion of land to Highway-Industrial for a proposed redevelopment.

The meeting lasted over eight hours at the Shriners Auditorium. It was former Selectman Jonathan Eaton's first meeting as town moderator.

The most discussed proposed article, article 60 from petitioners attorney Michael Newhouse and former Town Manager Michael Caira, would have rezoned property on Route 125 at the Ballardvale Street intersection for proposed developments including a hotel, restaurants and retail.

Residents opposed the article vehemently, expressing concerns about the traffic and environmental impact of the proposed hotel, as well as fears that the property would be flipped once it was rezoned, leaving it open for other uses.

It was voted down with just 48 in favor to 198 against, after more than a quarter of the meeting was spent discussing it.

Article 61, which would have allowed the town to accept another parcel owned by the same property owner as a gift, was also voted down.

The only other article to fail in a vote was article 56, which would have authorized the town to sell land on Stanley Street to a resident.

Another land disposition article, article 50, was passed over after Town Manager Jeffrey Hull said the parcel was not surplus, making it illegal for the town to dispose of it.

Special warrant articles one and three, which would permit a resident over the maximum age to be hired as a firefighter, were withdrawn; special warrant article two, which was petitioned for the same purpose, passed. Special warrant article two allows veterans to be hired at up to four years past the age limit, based on their years of service.

Article 51, also a firefighter age waiver amendment, was passed with an amendment limiting its scope to firefighter entrance exams through 2023 for the resident in question.

Articles 55 and 63 were passed over at the request of the petitioners.

An amendment to article 46, creating a new "brew pub" zoning definition, allowed brew pubs to allow takeaway sales to consumers of up to 25 percent of their total sales. The amendment and the article both passed.

Other than minor changes, all other articles passed, including the Fiscal Year 2022 budget and the rezoning of Cross Street land for an apartment complex.

Former Town Moderator Rob Peterson recommended the "consent agenda," routine items passed as a group, include capital requests in future years. A couple dozen warrant articles were capital requests and were passed quickly. The monetary amount should be provided in advance of the meeting if those articles are added to the consent agenda, Peterson said.

The full warrants are available here. WCTV's recording of most of the meeting is available here; the final portion was broadcast but is not yet available on demand, as of Saturday afternoon.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.