Wilmington Town Meeting Preview: Zoning Articles

WILMINGTON, MA — While the bulk of 2021 Wilmington town meeting articles deal with the town's Fiscal Year 2022 budget, residents who turn out Saturday will also have a say in a number of zoning and land use decisions for the town.

More than a quarter of the warrant, 18 articles, is concerned with the town's zoning bylaws or town-owned land.

The 2021 annual town meeting begins at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Shriners Auditorium. The Shriners are allowing the town to use the facility for free. It is larger than the high school and allows for more social distancing.

The 2021 town meeting warrant is 64 articles, plus three special town meeting articles.

See also: Town Meeting Preview: Proposed Half-Percent Budget Increase

Article 31 of the warrant would authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire 8.9 acres at 201 Lowell Street bordering Yentile Farm, for the possible expansion of the recreation area.

Article 46 creates a new "brew pub" zoning category, which would not be permitted in residential districts but would be allowed in most other districts.

Article 47 would allow general service restaurants by right in certain districts where they are currently allowed only by special permit.

Article 48 would make the planning board the special permit granting authority for non-residential projects that require a groundwater recharge system. Currently, the zoning board of appeals handles special permits for those cases.

Article 49 would rezone certain Residence 20 districts to Residence 10.

Article 54 would rezone a parcel at 417 Andover from Residence 60 to Residence 20.

Article 58 would rezone two parcels on Cross Street from general business to Neighborhood Mixed Use, which would allow a resident who owns the land to build an apartment complex. The parcel is across from Yentile Farm.

See also: Apartments Proposed Across From Yentile Farm

Article 60 would rezone land on Route 125, at the Ballardvale Street intersection, from Residence 60 to Highway-Industrial. Proposed developments for the land include retail, a restaurant and a hotel.

Article 61, from the same petitioner, would allow the town to accept an adjacent parcel as a gift.

See also: Letter To The Editor: Oppose Town Meeting Article 60

See also: Letter To The Editor: Clarifying Proposed Re-Zoning On Route 125

Article 62 would amend the zoning bylaws to allow with special permits funeral homes in Residence 10 districts, where they are currently prohibited. Article 63 would rezone a parcel on Middlesex Ave from Residence 10 to Neighborhood Mixed Use. Either change would permit Nichols Funeral Home to move across the street from its current location, as previously reported by the Wilmington Apple.

Article 64 would permit pet care facilities, with planning board special permits, in Highway-Industrial districts, and prohibit them in Neighborhood Mixed Use districts. It also provides a new definition for pet care facilities with a smaller minimum size among other changes.

Articles 50, 52, 55, 56, 57 and 59 ask the town to dispose of certain parcels of town-owned land and allow petitioners to purchase them.

The Planning Board and Finance Committee discussed the zoning articles in a meeting available here from WCTV. The warrant with their recommendations is available here.

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