Town Council meeting recap = Jan 20, 2021 - Public House license approved, several streets accepted

Quick Recap:

• New all alcohol license for the Public House (in Franklin Village - former location of British Beer Co)
• Multiple streets accepted, allows for formal Town ownership, completes a process that broke when developers completed their projects in some cases years ago. Minimal patching and plowing could be done without acceptance, major repairs prohibited as government money can not be spent on private property.
• Storm water bylaws required minor technical adjustments to bring them inline with the EPA MS4 permit. This was the first reading for the four individual bylaws to be heard. All were approved for second reading.
• Councilor Kelly went on a 'rant' around the storm water utility fee during the storm water bylaw update thinking that the changes were bringing the utility fees to the discussion. That was not the case, the utility fee proposal, discussion, and decision will be a separate item for a future agenda but the rant continued.
• First responder vaccine distribution completed on Wednesday, process caught attention of Milford Regional Hospital who wants to leverage our experience. No word yet on what's next for vaccine distribution. Awaiting info from MA DPH on who, what and when available. Stay tuned.

Photos captured during the meeting can be found in one folder
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FvaSN8sVwcUwRrnr6

recording of meeting to be made available soon

----
As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #tc0120 
https://twitter.com/hashtag/tc0120?src=hashtag_click 

• Shifting from one Zoom session to another to report on the Town Council meeting about to begin. Agenda doc has connection info https://franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/january-20-town-council-agenda #tc0120
• Meeting called to order #tc0120
• Chair Tom Mercer runs through protocol message for meeting #tc0120 reminder on incorrect calculation of interest on tax bill for 3Q. Corrected bill mailed, due date extended. online portal has correct amount.

Citizen Comment

• Citizens comments #tc0120 Kathy Hulin speaking for the Interfaith food Community team, introducing Project Envoy (see posting earlier today with info. https://franklinmatters.org/2021/01/project-envoy-eat-outtake-out-help-out.html)

Approval of prior minutes

• Approval of minutes for Dec 2, 2020 via roll call passes 9-0 #tc0120 proclamation postponed to meeting in Feb Public hearing opens at 7:10 PM - license hearing for Public House

Public hearing - new alcohol license

• Targeting for opening in May/June depending upon renovation being done, menu some carry over from The Gavel. 'Upscale American' would be Indoor and outdoor service weather permitting, capacity inside 180 (occupancy 200). No license pledge needed, self funded. #tc0120
• All servers to be too certified, may come back with an operation manager later. #tc0120 fees reduced for this year per bylaw previously approved. Landlord needs to do something 1st, license needed to be confirmed, then restaurant would proceed. Motion 2 close hearing via roll
• Opening hearing on street acceptances, then back to approve the license (rather than have them wait) motion to approve, seconded, passes 9-0 via roll call (Hamblen remote) #tc0120 kudos for Chrissy Whelton on this process No to the street acceptances, first wave of several

Public hearing on street acceptances

• Last tweet should have said NOW to streets, not 'no' #tc0120 what is practical difference between public and private; primary difference town takes care of road repairs and snow plowing, the total mileage of roads helps with state reimbursement.
• #tc0120 Q on sidewalks along Baron would they removed at sometime, and narrow like Coronation Dr. Baron is one of the work roads, can't work on it without funding, haven't taken hard look at it. Would be done via public hearing. The road is a mess. It is a concern
• #tc0120 reinforce the state of disrepair of Baron, can't put money in it unless it is accepted. Often folks don't walk on the sidewalks, use the road instead. Don't count on getting two sidewalks, we need to reduce impervious coverage. EPA in charge of the potential fine
• #tc0120 just not possible with EPA restrictions. Multiple councilor comments on road condition and planning for redoing eventually. It costs the Town to create the acceptance plan. We plow/filling potholes for safety reasons where streets were intended to be accepted
• Baron due to condition would be a full depth reconstruction. #tc0120 landscaping on Coronation is aborhent claims of severely compromising safety to save some money. 1st step is recognizing the road, let's do that. Homeowners responsible for keeping sidewalks passable

Subcommittee Updates

• #tc0120 motion to close hearing, passes 9-0 via roll call EDC met last Weds, started discussion on housing, had a pretzel discussion, need to come back with some definition, 5:45 next meeting to discuss food truck bylaw. TA review rescheduled! storm water bylaw ...
• Passed a year ago, info sessions planned, 2 held before pandemic. #tc0120 storm water page has info and maps for property impervious coverage; utility fee more fair application, credits available, will offset ops budget funds eventually https://www.franklinma.gov/stormwater-division 
• 14 Communities already have a utility fee, ours is less than the others. #tc0120 fee would raise about $1.4M each year. Would free operations capacity in FY 22 and FY 23. Check your property on the map https://www.franklinma.gov/stormwater-division 
• #tc0120 Dellorco and Jones add to reinforce Hamblen's comments on the utility fee to manage the EPA mandate. Did check proof of proposed billing statement that would include the utility fee and appear on next water, sewer invoice. There are legislation tonight ...
• To set up for the utility fee, no action on the fee itself tonight. #tc0120 * Moving to legislation for action. 

Legislation for action

• https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/10a._21-06_skyline_charles_drive.pdf passes 9-0 via roll call
• https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/20-07_cobblestone_barron.pdf Roll call to waive reading, passes 9-0 Motion to approve, seconded, passes 9-0 via roll call https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/10c._21-08_crystal_woodhaben.pdf Roll call to waive reading, passes 9-0 Motion to approve, seconded, passes 9-0 via roll call
• https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/10d._21-865_stormwater.pdf #tc0120 reading revision in sec D motion to move to 2nd reading, mostly housecleaning items. Utility fee would come up for 2 hearings for approval. Items need to confirm the language per the EPA permit.
• Real concern about the billable units, parking spaces, business may need less spaces than required, and EPA fee is based upon the impervious coverage. #tc0120 the utility fee is equally applicable to nonprofit as well as commercial businesses. Kelly long rant on fee proposal
• There is an abatement process for this, credits and fee waivers. #tc0120 Kelly's issue is a separate topic from what is on the agenda tonight. Per Attny Cerel this motion has nothing to do with the utility fee, this has to with development of 2 acres or more
• #tc0120 we continue to add fees and then the next Council raises it, and the next. Don't think this is the equitable way to go. There are four amendments tonight. Finally, now the vote to move to 2nd reading 9-0 via roll call
• https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/10e._bylaw_21-866_chapter_153-12_soil_erosion.pdf #tc0120 second of 4 items, motion to move to 2nd reading, passes 9-0 via roll call https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/10f._bylaw_21-867_chapter_153-16_standards.pdf 3rd of 4 items, motion to move to second reading, passes 9-0 via roll call
• https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/10g._bylaw_21-868_chapter_185-31_site_plan_and_design_review_b.pdf motion to refer to planning board, #tc0120 Q why recommended not required, are there defined terms? Passes 9-0 via roll call

Town Administrator report through to closing

• Town Administrator report, FHS gym completed the vaccine clinics nothing wasted on doses, had backup plan for utilization of the extras Milford Regional asking for us to help them plan distribution. As to what is next? Don't know. #tc0120
• #tc0120 early education and K-12 before the over 65 with multiple co-morbidities Health Director Liberty can now order vaccines. Some distribution will be on-site for some groups, rather than in a facility like the gym
• #tc0120 waiting for the State to tell us when we get the next batch. For distribution to the general public, it would likely use the high school for parking, flow, etc. Billable units. Driving downtown, no cars parked at all at 11 in the morning.
• #tc0120 "shout out to Project Envoy for helping in this way, great to see the community help." "It is sad to see the downtown so quiet and empty." "Congratulations to Declan Lynch for his scholarship win." Hotline is off the charts at SAFE Coalition with requests for help
• #tc0120 thank the Board of Health and our paramedics, it was really well done. To hear the comments from the other Communities, it was heartening. Motion to adjourn, passes 9-0 via roll call Catch you all next time!

Town Council meeting recap = Jan 20, 2021 - Public House license approved, several streets accepted