Virginia B. Richardson, Clerk of the Town of Boxborough, hereby do certify that the following is a true copy of the action taken on Article 6 at the Special Town Meeting held on March 27, 2000, at the Blanchard Memorial School, in Boxborough Massachusetts:

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ARTICLE 6 LIMIT THE SIZE OF BUILDINGS USED FOR RETAIL PURPOSES TO 25,000 SQUARE FEET

(2/3 vote required)

To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw Use Schedule by deleting the entry for Retail Stores under Section 2234 and substituting therefore the following two new entries:

 

Retail Stores in a building containing more than 25,000 square feet gross floor area

Retail Stores in a building containing less than 25,000 square feet gross floor area

and by adding to existing footnote 8 the following sentence: "Maximum building size in the TC District is further subject to Section 2310."

Or take any other action in relation thereto.

SUMMARY
The proposed article limits the size of buildings used for principal retail purposes to 25,000 square feet (gross floor area).

The Planning Board Recommends.

The Board of Selectmen Recommends Unanimously.
The Board of Selectmen recommends the adoption of this article. We believe that allowing the development of "big box" retailing is a gap in the current zoning bylaw, as this type of development was not anticipated during the initial development of the zoning bylaw. This zoning article would prevent the creation of "big box" retail operations in town. The Board believes that in a town of our size and character, events that occur in our collective "backyard" affect everyone and we must make decisions now that will impact the town for many years to come.

The Finance Committee Recommends.
We support the Planning Board's objective of managing commercial development, and believe that retail buildings of 25,000 sq. ft maximum size represent an appropriate scale for Boxborough.

ACTION ON ARTICLE 6, March 27, 2000. Ms. Methany read the "Report of the Planning Board". Mr. Subramanyam asked what type of retail business would come in with 25,000 square feet. Mr. Neville remarked that a lot of small businesses would require more police checks than larger ones. The Finance Committee stated that they had not done a survey on services. Mr. Bunyard stated that the businesses that come into Town are intended to serve the people of Boxborough, and are not intended to draw in people from other towns. Ms. Kroll asked if the buildings were to be 25,000 square feet or a retail business within that building. There could not be a 100,000 square foot building with four retail stores within. Charlene Golden made a motion to move the question. That motion carried. On Ms. Metheny's motion, the Town did vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw Use Schedule as printed under Article 6 in the handout as follows:

Retail Stores in a building containing more than 25,000 square feet gross floor area

Retail Stores in a building contains less than 25,000 square feet gross floor area

and by adding to existing footnote 8 the following sentence: "Maximum building size in the TC District is further subject to Section 2310."

Article 6 carried by an uncounted 2/3 vote.