Meetings Ahead
Truro meetings are generally held via telephone or video conferencing and are aired for the public after they are over. See: www.truro ma.gov/home/news/viewing-the-33120-select-board-meeting-and-general-remote-meeting-information
Thursday, April 2
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 5:30 p.m. (procedural only)
Monday, April 6
- Conservation Commission, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 7
- Board of Health, 4:30 p.m.
- Select Board, 5 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Cloverleaf Affordable Housing
The zoning board of appeals is expected to vote on April 2 to delay review of the Cloverleaf, a 39-unit affordable housing development at 22 Highland Road, until May 28, according to the meeting agenda. The ZBA has been reviewing the project for months now. The recent delay, due to the closure of public offices because of the coronavirus, will not threaten the project’s financing, said Ted Malone, president of Community Housing Resource, the developer.
Malone said he can continue working remotely with designers and engineers to finalize the plans in accordance with changes already suggested by the board. He also can communicate by email with the town officials if necessary and be ready for further review on May 28.
An Appointed Planning Board?
Town meeting, originally set for April 28, will be postponed until a still undetermined date, but the select board has begun making recommendations on the warrant articles. On March 10, board members voted three to two not to recommend a petitioned article that would make the planning board appointed rather than elected.
Truro is one of six towns out of 15 in the county that elects members of the planning board. Select board members Stephanie Rein, Sue Areson, and Jan Worthington voted to keep the planning board elected, while board members Bob Weinstein and Kristen Reed voted to recommend the change to town meeting voters.
Raphael Richter, who sponsored the petitioned article, said the elected races are almost never contested and so there would be more accountability if they were appointed following interviews by the select board.
Areson said she was distressed by “unwarranted public criticism of the planning board,” according to minutes of the March 10 meeting.
The board has been criticized as working against business and affordable housing. —K.C. Myers.
