Summary

Council approves funding and zoning changes

North AttleboroughJun 22, 20262 min read

At a glance

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The Town Council approved $289,000 in wastewater transfers for sludge removal services and adopted a backyard-chicken use table that allows chickens by right in residential districts R-10 through R-40, subject to the bylaw.

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Town Council FY26

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Budget & TaxEducationEnvironmentalUtilities

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What this means

The wastewater transfer provides $69,000 from an emergency reserve and $220,000 from retained earnings for sludge removal. The backyard-chicken zoning change removes previous restrictions in R-10 and R-10S districts and eliminates the need for a special permit in R-15 and R-20 districts, while residents must still follow the bylaw; roosters remain prohibited except in R-40. The council also accepted the floodplain, approved $750,000 for OPEB—retirement health-benefit costs—and authorized funding changes for critical school boiler replacements.

Key decisions

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Approved the $289,000 wastewater transfer for sludge removal services, with $69,000 from the Wastewater Emergency Reserve and $220,000 from Wastewater Retained Earnings; the vote was 9-0.
Approved the proposed use table for the backyard-chicken bylaw; chickens are permitted by right in residential districts R-10 through R-40 when the bylaw's requirements are met. The vote was 9-0.
Accepted the floodplain after a public hearing and discussion of updated FEMA maps and continued NFIP participation; the vote was 9-0.
Approved reappointments to various boards, commissions, and committees; the vote was 9-0.
Confirmed Russell Labonte for the Historical Commission, Mary Walnut for the Commission on Disability, and Ryan Benharris for the Licensing Board, each with terms expiring June 30, 2029; each vote was 9-0.
Approved amended end-of-year municipal relief transfers; the vote was 9-0.
Approved repurposing completed capital-project funds for critical HVAC boiler replacements at Community and Amvet Elementary Schools; the vote was 9-0.
Approved a $750,000 transfer from Capital Stabilization to OPEB; the vote was 9-0.
Withdrew the proposed ambulance receipt reserve account transfer.

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