Essex zoning a hot-button issue at Saturday’s Town Meeting

May 14—ESSEX — This Saturday, all registered voters in town are invited to let their voices be heard regarding a variety of issues at the 2021 Annual Town Meeting. The meeting will be held on the back lawn of Essex Elementary School, 12 Story St., at 1 p.m. Social distancing measures will be enforced.

Three articles on the warrant propose drastic changes to the town’s zoning regulations. There are no zoning districts in town, but if Article 13 passes, the Main Street Causeway (Route 133) from Martin Street (Route 127) to Eastern and Southern avenues will be designated as the “Essex Downtown Zoning District.” According to Planning Board Chairman Wes Burnham, the district would allow for more “mixed use” buildings.

Article 14 would create a two-year moratorium on business and industrial development in Essex. Selectmen pitched this article so the town can study and mitigate any potential negative impacts new businesses may bring to residents and the surrounding environment. Selectwoman Ruth Pereen has publicly stated the measure would not affect current businesses in town.

Save Essex’s Landscape, a community group, pitched Article 15 — a complete rewrite of the town’s zoning bylaws regarding cell phone towers. The group argues the half-page of regulations regarding cell towers now on the books is not sufficient enough. The group hope to replace the half-page with its own 20-page bylaw. The Planning Board does not support Save Essex’s Landscape’s draft bylaw, claiming some sections are “not compliant with our bylaws,” according to Burnham.

Earlier this week, residents voted Save Essex’s Landscape member Shelly Bradbury to the Essex Planning Board.

Non-zoning related articles on the warrant include Article 16, which would update tow nbylaws on stormwater management, particularly to add more stringent regulations regarding land disturbance. Article 18 seeks to replace two police cruisers with newer models. Articles 20 and 21 hope to use town money to match previously issued state grants. The first is for studying the “environmental quality in Chebacco Lake, the Alewife Brook, and associated watershed areas,” while the other is reserved for a new seawall system at Conomo Point.

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Here is a summary of the full, 25-article warrant:

1: Election of officers.

2: Hear and receive reports from town officials and committees, including those in the Annual Town Report.

3: Amend the wage and salary scale for town employees in accordance with the Personnel Board Report.

4: Fix salaries of elected officers in accordance with the Personnel Board Report.

5: Transfer funds from the Town Septic Betterment Fund to the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust.

6: Approve the fiscal year 2022 budget.

7: Fund the Sewer Enterprise Fund for the remainder of the fiscal year.

8: Replenish the Sewer Enterprise Fund for fiscal year 2022.

9: Continue to fund the Water Enterprise Fund for the remainder of the fiscal year.

10: Replenish the Water Enterprise Fund for fiscal year 2022.

11: Approve the town’s share for the Manchester Essex Regional School District budget.

12: Approve the town’s share for the Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District budget.

13: Instate the “Essex Downtown Zoning District” on the Main Street Causeway (Route 133).

14: Instate a two-year moratorium on business and industrial development.

15: Update the zoning bylaws regarding cell phone towers.

16: Update the bylaws on stormwater management.

17: Pay for potential fixes and upgrades to the municipal water system.

18: Pay for potential fixes and upgrades to the municipal sewer system.

19: Replace two police cruisers with newer models.

20: Use town funds to match a state grant for studying environmental quality in Chebacco Lake, the Alewife Brook, and associated watershed areas.

21: Use town funds to match a state grant for a new seawall system at Conomo Point.

22: Allow Community Preservation Funds to be used for select projects.

23: Pay operational expenses at various town departments for the remainder of fiscal year.

24: Replenish the Finance Committee’s Reserve Fund for the remainder of fiscal year.

25: Pay unpaid bills from past fiscal years.

Michael Cronin may be contacted at 978-675-2708, or mcronin@gloucestertimes.com.