Warrant Articles Pertaining to Businesses Panel - March 12th, 2021

Stay up-to-date on Town Politics! Join the Brookline Chamber of Commerce to learn about Brookline Warrant Articles that could impact your business. Short presentations from Warrant Article petitioners will be moderated by Anne Meyers, Co-chair of the Economic Development Advisory Board. Ask questions, learn more, and be civically engaged in Brookline.

We recommend that you read through the descriptions of the Warrant Articles before the event.

Note: This meeting will be recorded.

Warrant Articles that Impact Businesses Panel

Year-Round, Expanded Outdoor Dining, Article 29 & 30
Prsented by Meredith Mooney, Economic Development & Long-Term Planner, Department of Planning & Community Development, Town of Brookline, MA

Due to the success of Brookline’s temporary expanded outdoor dining program during COVID-19, the Town of Brookline is seeking to make year-round, expanded outdoor dining a permanent fixture of Brookline’s commercial areas. Two warrant articles, one proposing changes to the General By-Law and the other to the Zoning By-Law, which would allow for the creation of an expanded, year-round outdoor dining program, were submitted for Spring 2021 Town Meeting’s consideration.

Marijuana Delivery, Article 19, & 20
Presented by: Maria Morelli, AICP, Senior Planner, Town of Brookline

Massachusetts is one of a few states to reserve marijuana delivery-only licenses to social-equity and economic-empowerment entrepreneurs to promote racial and economic diversity in the cannabis industry. To further the State's mission, the Planning Department proposes to Spring Town Meeting amendments to the Zoning By-Law and General By-Law that would allow the State's two new license types: (1) “Marijuana Delivery Operator” (a marijuana establishment with no storefront presence that sells and delivers marijuana and marijuana products directly to consumers using an on-line platform), and (2) “Marijuana Courier” (which does not sell directly to consumers but partners with marijuana establishments that do so).

Fossil Fuel Free (FFF) Incentivization via Special Permits, Article 26
Presented by: Werner Lohe, Town Meeting Member, Pct. 13

This Article follows on the heels of November 2019 Special Town Meeting’s Warrant Article 21 (WA21), which was passed overwhelmingly. WA21’s proposed general by-law aimed to prohibit the installation of new fossil fuel infrastructure in new construction and significant renovation projects. Regrettably, the Attorney General’s Municipal Law Unit did not approve WA 21, citing conflicts with the State Building Code and natural gas legislation. She nonetheless embraced its policy goals and suggested that it could be implemented via an incentive. This Article does exactly that, providing an alternative means of implementing the same fossil fuel infrastructure reduction measures through the adoption of an incentive-based zoning by-law. By reworking the provisions of WA21 as a zoning by-law and modifying the means of implementation, this Article addresses the concerns about WA21 raised by the Attorney General.

Amendment to Emerald Island Special District (EISD) Regulations, Articles 25
Presented by: Kathleen Scanlon, Town Meeting Member, Pct. 3

This warrant article tests the concept of incentivizing FFF development with new zoning

opportunities. Rather than proposing a new special overlay district in advance of a planning

study, this adds a similar definition of FFF contained in Article 21 as a condition for new

construction redevelopment under the existing Emerald Island Special District (EISD).

Short Term Rentals, Articles 14, 15 & 16
Presented by: Paula K Friedman, Town Meeting Member, Pct. 14 and others

3 Warrant Articles have been filed by the Moderator's Short-Term Rental Committee. Guidelines and stipulations for including short-term rentals in the Zoning bylaws, as well as enforcement.

Resolution Regarding Babcock Street Parking Lot Affordable Housing Study Committee & Resolution Regarding The Fisher Hill Site Affordable Housing Study Committee,
Articles 38 & 39

Presented by: Deborah Brown, Town Meeting Member, Pct. 1

2 Warrant Articles have been filed.
The Select Board should appoint a committee comprised of Housing Advisory Board
members, the Brookline Housing Authority, The Brookline Improvement Coalition, one experienced developer and at least one resident to explore ways to build family affordable housing at the Fisher Hill site. The study team would have 180 days to complete their feasibility study.

Town Meeting requests that the Select Board appoint a committee comprised of Housing Advisory Board members, the Brookline Housing Authority, The Brookline Improvement Coalition, one experienced developer and at least one resident to explore ways to build family affordable housing at 15 Babcock Street and to utilize the committee process and Request for Information tool as recently used for the Kent/Station Street Affordable Housing Initiative. The study team would have 180 days to complete their feasibility study.