Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
Lastly, the town will vote on the new bylaws made by the Planning Board for short-term rentals, ADUs and signage.
For STRs, the bylaw will be amended to formally allow them in the town and require they be registered and comply with state building codes and tax requirements as well as local noise and parking standards.
They will also be regulated based on zoning districts, where all but residential will be allowed year-round and residential zones may be operated up to 180 days per year.
ADUs will be amended to comply with the Affordable Homes Act allowing them by right. Those with an ADU will not need a special permit from the Zoning Board with specific cases and one parking space for a detached ADU unless it is within half a mile of an active BRTA bus route, in which case no space is required.
Some things to note in the bylaws are that a detached dwelling unit must not be larger than 1,200 square feet of gross floor area, or half the size of the principal dwelling, whichever is smaller.
And signage was amended to be easier to read and at the request of business owners. Signs require a permit from the building inspector, with a plan and description submitted by the property owner. In residential and residential A zones, signs pertaining to use of lot or building can be not more than two with a total area of two square feet in the R district and 20 square feet in RA district.
Business and industrial zones are one freestanding sign per lot, plus building-attached signs with total area limits per business. Mixed commercial districts allow signage by special permit from the Planning Board, based on a signage plan consistent with the area's character.
Temporary signs must not obstruct traffic or internal circulation.
Not counted toward permanent sign square footage is up to two banner signs, not including feather flags, are allowed total area not to exceed 25 percent of the street-facing façade, attached to the building. One sandwich board sign per business not to exceed 36 inches in high and 12 square feet, plus typical open/closed/menu signs. One feather-flag type sign per business 12 foot by 3 foot max, explicitly not including inflatable movables.
Notably, a request to begin the Baker Hill Road District was initially intended to be on the warrant but was taken off at the last Select Board meeting because mall owner JMJ Holdings did not pay the $1.1 million owed to the town. The agreement was that the company would pay what the $1.1 million to resolve a tax dispute and secure a purchase-and-sale agreement and the town would start the process to dissolve the road district through a home-rule petition.
Tags: annual town meeting, fiscal 2027, lanesborough_budget,
