Special Town Meeting and Annual Town Meeting Results – May 7th, 2025

Tewksbury – Special Town Meeting and Annual Town Meeting were called to order last night, May 7th, 2025, at 7 pm and 7:30 pm respectively, at the Tewksbury Memorial High School. Dustin Weir moderated the evening.

Special Town Meeting Articles 1 – 3 were covered, as well Annual Town Meeting Zoning Bylaw Articles 28 – 33.

Important Note: Articles 26 & 27 related to the MBTA COMMUNITIES MULTIFAMILY OVERLAY DISTRICT were not voted on, due to a lack of recommendation by the Planning Board. Click here to view a detailed explanation.

Special Town Meeting

ARTICLE 1 Executive Summary: This article transfers funds from accounts with a projected surplus to accounts with a projected deficit or to accounts to allow for the purchase of needed items or services.

Article 1 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 2: To see if the Town will vote to transfer from certified General Fund Free Cash a sum of $586,046.35 into the FY2025 DPW Snow & Ice Budget as follows; or take any action relative thereto.

Executive Summary: This article utilizes Free Cash certified as of July 1, 2024, to fund Department of Public Works – Snow and Ice due to the amount of snow and ice events during the winter which exceeded the amount budgeted.

Article 2 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 3: To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate from certified General Fund Free Cash a sum of $13,953.65 to pay the following outstanding bills from the previous year; or take any action relative thereto

Executive Summary: According to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44 § 64, bills that are late must be approved by Town Meeting before payment. This article authorizes the charges to be paid.

9/10ths standing vote was necessary for adoption. Article 3 was adopted unanimously.

Town Meeting

ARTICLE 28 Executive Summary: The actions in this article will keep the Town compliant with the requirements to remain in the National Flood Insurance Program. 2020 was the last time the language of the bylaw was reviewed. The Floodplain Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Insurance Survey were updated was 2016.

Debate: A resident asked whether the FEMA guidelines would take effect on July 8, 2025. Community and Economic Development Planner Alexandra Lowder clarified that the FEMA requirements have been in immediate effect since 2021. The July 8, 2025 date refers to the deadline for adopting the updated FEMA flood maps—not the start of the requirements.

Article 28, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, was adopted with a vote of 123 in favor and 1 opposed, exceeding the required threshold.

ARTICLE 29 Executive Summary: In order to remain in the National Flood Insurance Program, the Town needs to amend its maps of the Floodplain District. A larger map is on file with the Town Clerk, the Department of Community Development and is also the Town’s website.

Article 29 was adopted with a vote of 120 in favor and 2 opposed, exceeding the required threshold.

ARTICLE 30 Executive Summary: The proposed amendments to the bylaws concerning commercial and industrial uses create flexibility and certainty of procedure for prospective business owners and attract low-impact, high-tech businesses to Town.

Debate: One resident asked for clarification on the term “low impact” as used in the Executive Summary. Community and Economic Development Planner Alexandra Lowder explained that it refers to limited site activity, such as a low number of day trips and minimal traffic. Another resident inquired whether the article would affect the petition concerning the ion battery proposal at 73 Hillman Street. Lowder confirmed that the Warrant Article, which introduces a bylaw allowing battery storage facilities by special permit and grants decision-making authority to the Town, is not related to the 73 Hillman Street proposal. That proposal is currently under review by the State. The warrant article will apply only to future projects.

Article 30 was adopted with a vote of 111 in favor and 18 opposed, exceeding the required threshold.

ARTICLE 31 Executive Summary: The proposed amendments to the bylaws concerning signage will create flexibility for business owners and improve expectations related to available commercial and industrial space in Town.

Article 31 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 32 Executive Summary: The proposed amendment to the requirements for accessory structures creates consistency of safety standards for all types of swimming pools.

Debate: Residents inquired if the fencing was around yards or around the pools themselves. Economic Development Planner Alexandra Lowder explained that this article was retroactive to address safety concerns with newer electronic covers for inground pools. According to the building code, all pools must be enclosed. This would only be for new builds going forward.

Article 32 was adopted with a vote of 100 in favor and 4 opposed, exceeding the required threshold.

ARTICLE 33: To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Zoning Map dated October 2024 by removing all outlined parcels from the Town Center District and include them in the Residence 40 District, except Map 47 Lot 164 which will be included in the Multifamily District, on file with the Town Clerk’s Office as depicted below

Amendment: Planning Board Chair Stephen Johnson noted that additional language was added to the article to clarify that a small parcel of land, Lot 99 —originally shown as part of the Multifamily District in the zoning map changes—would, in fact, remain within the Town Center District.

Debate: A resident expressed confusion regarding which areas fell within the R-40 Multifamily District versus the Town Center District. Community and Economic Development Planner Alexandra Lowder clarified that, under the proposed amendment, the Town Center District would end at the red-outlined parcel shown in the amendment, near the old fire station. The amendment would maintain 47 Pleasant Street and the Main Street-facing parcels within the Town Center District, while the remaining area would revert to the R-40 District.

Article 33 was adopted with a vote of 109 in favor and 4 opposed, exceeding the required threshold.