Green Acton directors and (March and April) monthly meeting attendees heard case presentations on, discussed, and decided to endorse the following articles on the Acton 2023 Town Meeting Warrant.
NOTE: Town Meeting begins the evening of May 1, at 7pm, in the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School auditorium; it will very likely run for two nights (May 1 and 2). See the Warrant here, and more information on Town Meeting here.
ARTICLE 10: Community Preservation Program — Appropriations from Open Space Set-Aside and Related Actions — 549 Main Street / Conant Property (two-thirds vote)
Green Acton supports this article because our mission includes protection of Acton’s water resources, protection of habitat for native flora and fauna, and limitation of unnecessary development. Adding a Conservation Restriction on the 549 Main Street property ensures that this irreplaceable parcel in the heart of Acton will remain green and open space in perpetuity, available for passive recreation by humans and as habitat for native flora and fauna.
ARTICLE 12: Amend General Bylaws — Municipal Opt-In: Specialized Stretch Energy Code (majority vote)
and
ARTICLE 13: Amend General Bylaws — Regulating Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Buildings (majority vote)
Green Acton supports both of these articles because together, Article 12 and Article 13 comport with our mission by helping Acton stop the growth in greenhouse gas emissions from new buildings. These articles implement most of the intent of the Building with Clean Energy bylaw that Green Acton, and Town Meeting, supported overwhelmingly in 2021. As a reminder, these bylaws apply only to new construction and major rehabilitation projects. By passing these articles, Acton will be taking a significant step toward its goal of becoming a net-zero emissions community by 2030.
Green Acton also notes that we need to make rapid progress on transitioning existing buildings away from fossil fuels. We encourage Acton officials to advocate for making this fossil fuel free program option available to every municipality in the state, instead of its current limitation to 10 municipalities.
ARTICLE 16: Amend Zoning Bylaw and Map — Groundwater Protection District (two-thirds vote)
Green Acton supports this article because our mission includes protection of Acton’s water resources. In a town that relies on wells within the Town limits for all of our drinking water, prohibiting activities that have the potential to introduce unsafe materials into the groundwater is the most fundamental and cost-effective way to safeguard Acton’s water quality. We also support protecting the groundwater quality of Maynard, because we recognize that water flows freely across town lines and we believe that regional cooperation around environmental issues is desirable.
In addition to accepting the proposed expansion of the area of the groundwater protection zones, Green Acton also encourages Town government to re-examine the list of activities that are prohibited in zones 1 and 2, and consider prohibiting activities that have the potential to introduce significant quantities of PFAS or other emergent contaminants into ground or surface waters.
ARTICLE 37: Non-Binding Resolution — Sewer Commission Analysis (majority vote)
Green Acton supports this article because our mission includes protection of Acton!s water resources. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a Sewer Commission or Sewer Advisory Committee distinct from the Select Board, has the potential for improving transparency, public engagement, and planning. Attracting knowledgeable experts to serve on a body dedicated to the business of Acton’s municipal sewer system has the potential to improve decision-making, strategic planning, and the protection of both the Town’s water quality and quantity. Furthermore, having a separate public body dedicated solely to the operation and maintenance of the municipal sewer system would afford the Select Board more time to effectively address Acton’s other pressing environmental issues.
ARTICLE 42: Non-Binding Resolution — Slow Increase of New Single Family Homes (majority vote)
Green Acton supports this article because our mission includes protection of Acton’s open space and reduction in our carbon footprint.
ARTICLE 43: Non-Binding Resolution — Reduce Size of New Single Family Homes (majority vote)
Green Acton supports this article because our mission includes protection of Acton’s open space and reduction in our carbon footprint.
ARTICLE 44: Non-Binding Resolution — Non-Binding Resolution — Stop Odd Shaped Lots (majority vote)
Green Acton supports this article because our mission includes protection of Acton’s open space, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and resource use that, in this case, would arise from the denser building that occurs on such irregular parcels.