Southborough’s main zoning bylaws — Chapter 174 of the town code — contain 6 articles, 47 sections, and almost 40,000 words. In all that text, there are a total of two pictures. Two. That’s not a particularly good image-to-text ratio. One of the goals of the zoning bylaw review project is to make the bylaws Read the full article → from A picture is worth 40,000 words
Government
Why you should care about zoning review
Frontage, setbacks, minimum lot sizes, floor area ratio, subdivisions, use regulation. It all sounds rather dull, doesn’t it? And it’s exactly what you might expect from something called the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw Review and Update Project. But look below the surface and you’ll find something a bit more interesting. Something that will play a major Read the full article → from Why you should care about zoning review
More pretty pictures of Main Street
Hot off the presses, here are the latest in a series of images showing what Main Street could look like without above-ground utility wires. This set of images show Main Street near the Common (in front of the Library). They depict what the area might look like after the Main Street reconstruction project and utility Read the full article → from More pretty pictures of Main Street
The week in town government
Here are the department and committee meetings for the week. I’m still waiting for details on the agenda for the Planning Board, Board of Selectmen, and Zoning Board of Appeals. I’ll update this post when I have them — hopefully later today. Of note this week is the Zoning Advisory Committee meeting on Wednesday. As Read the full article → from The week in town government
More cuts to the budget
The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday took another pass through the fiscal year 2010 budget looking for places to trim, trim, trim in an attempt to reconcile a $400K shortfall. They found some items to cut, but still have more to go to make up for the shortfall. And that’s assuming the shortfall doesn’t increase Read the full article → from More cuts to the budget
What Main Street could look like
A few weeks ago I asked you to envision Main Street without its telephone poles and crisscross of wires. Now the Main Street Council, the group leading the effort to bury underground the utility lines along Main Street, has made that easy. Council Co-chair Dennis Flynn emailed me some visions shots of what Main Street Read the full article → from What Main Street could look like
Budget cuts to impact town employees
Up until now, the Board of Selectmen have limited their budget cuts for the next fiscal year to capital projects like school repairs and Senior Center improvements. But with a shortfall of $400K(*), the cuts made this week will have a more direct impact on town employees. “We’re at a point now where we have Read the full article → from Budget cuts to impact town employees
A new spin on the police station proposal
Is buying cheaper than building? That’s the question the Municipal Facilities Committee is asking. The committee has been working on a proposal for a new police station for the past year. Up until now there have been two options under consideration: rehab the existing police station or demolish it and build a new one. But Read the full article → from A new spin on the police station proposal
Coming soon to a TV near you
Get your DVR’s ready because the Southborough Board of Selectmen are coming to public access television. The Cable Committee is gearing up to record the bi-weekly selectmen meetings for airing on public access. They did a practice run at last week’s meeting to work out audio and other issues. Once they get the kinks worked Read the full article → from Coming soon to a TV near you
Town website gets a facelift
I visit the town website a couple times a week looking for information, and I have to admit I’ve never enjoyed the experience. But as of yesterday all that changed! A new Southborough town website was just launched. The new site is a huge improvement aesthetically speaking — nice photos of the town on the Read the full article → from Town website gets a facelift
Emergency response volunteers needed
The Southborough Emergency Management Agency is looking for volunteers to join the Community Emergency Response Team and the Medical Reserve Corps. In other words, SEMA wants people to join CERT and MRC. Enough acronyms for you? CERT and MRC are groups of trained volunteers who assist the town in the event of a major emergency. Read the full article → from Emergency response volunteers needed
FY2010 budget: What’s in and what’s out
On their way to balancing the budget for fiscal year 2010, the Board of Selectmen have made a number of cuts, including some big capital projects. There’s still about $130K left to cut, but here’s how things stood as of the selectmen meeting last week. Capital projects and articles still in the budget: School technology Read the full article → from FY2010 budget: What’s in and what’s out
The week in town government
Here are the department and committee meetings for the week. Enjoy. Monday, February 2 Municipal Facilities Committee, 6:30 @ Hearing Room, Town House Advisory Committee, 7:30 pm @ Upper Hall, Cordaville Hall (agenda) Tuesday, February 3 Southborough Emergency Planning & Management Comm., 10:00 am @ Memorial Hall, Fire Station Board of Selectmen, 7:00 pm @ Read the full article → from The week in town government
Buy Fire Ball tickets tomorrow
It will be the gala event of the Southborough social season (does Southborough have a social season?), so you’d better get your tickets soon. I’m talking, of course, about the Southborough Fire Ball — cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and dancing, all for a good cause. Proceeds from the event go toward the purchase of a Read the full article → from Buy Fire Ball tickets tomorrow