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Westwood’s Annual Town meeting on May 6th held in the Westwood High School auditorium, was notable for two things: (1) the unusual prevalence of voter opposition to several articles recommended by town officials, and (2) the passage of Article 21, which establishes new Mixed Use & Multi-Family Residential Overlay District (MUMFROD) areas in four select areas of Westwood, thereby removing hurdles to multi-family housing development, which will be allowed by right in those locations.
In recent memory, articles submitted to the town for vote have tended to sail through for the most part, with voters appearing to unquestionably follow the recommendations of the Finance and Warrant Commission (FinCom) and the town officials proposing the articles. But there have been exceptions.
This year, voters rejected Article 8, a request for additional capital improvements in the amount of $550,000, to upgrade and replace generators in municipal buildings and acoustic tiles for the swimming pool. Despite a unanimous FinCom recommendation in favor of Article 8 being adopted and the opportunity for a re-vote following a motion for reconsideration, Article 8 failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to pass.
Voters also initially rejected Article 11, which provides for an appropriation of $725,000 for costs of purchasing and equipping a replacement brush/squad style fire truck. After failing to reach the required two-thirds majority vote, this article was also reconsidered. An additional 74 voters participated in the second round of voting, with 81 percent of those additional voters casting votes in favor of Article 11 passing. It passed.
Voters also initially rejected Article 18, Planning Board’s proposal to amend definitions of terms, including a new definition for “Affordable Dwelling Units.” After the article failed to garner the required two-thirds majority vote, a successful motion for reconsideration brought about a re-vote. The article passed on a re-vote.
Following the Article 18 discussion, Select Board member Robert Gotti felt compelled to address the votes rejecting articles. “I just want to acknowledge that there seems to be a large contingent voting ‘no’ on anything Planning Board-related, currently,” he observed. He asked for “the courtesy of respect of the people who spend a great deal of time,” referencing the work of Planning Board and Finance and Warrant Committee members in preparing the articles and recommendation on the articles for voter consideration.
When it came to the discussion of Article 21, which Planning Board proposed in response to the MBTA Communities Act that requires towns like Westwood with commuter or bus stops to create zones for multi-family housing located near those areas of public transit, a number of residents rose to speak:
There were fewer voices arguing the other side:
There were more comments as well. A motion to call the question passed with a two-thirds vote majority. The article itself passed with a majority in favor, 229 yes votes to 165 no votes.
Aside from Article 8, voters passed all other articles at Town Meeting.
Updated 5.17.2024 at 9:43 a.m. A sentence incorrectly stated that Westwood's Article 21 requires communities to establish zones for multi-family housing near public transit. A correction has been made to state that Article 21 was proposed in response to the state requirement in the MBTA Communities Act for zones for multi-family housing near public transit.