Attached are the 3 remaining instructional motions currently filed for November Town Meeting tonight. Instructional motions are typically held for the final night of Town Meeting which potentially could be this evening or next Monday.
Instructional Motion Number: 23-04
Instruction to: Select Board & Town Manager
By David Zeek of Precinct 5
The Town of Reading develop and implement a water/sewer pricing structure that recognizes that multi-family residential housing comprises multiple family units and does not treat the facility as a single water user even if there is only one water meter to the building.
The Town Manager shall report the planned changes to Reading’s Annual Town Meeting in April 2024, and the changes shall be implemented by July 2024.
Download PDF Link with Presentation
Instructional Motion Number: 23-05
Instruction to: Public Works
By Ellen Childress of Precinct 3
In order to avoid or plan for the disposal costs of 328 tons of difficult to recycle plastic in 12 years (based on the Toter warranty) with the remaining landfills in Massachusetts for MSW set to close in 10 years, that Public Works calculate a best estimate of such costs before committing to purchasing non-recyclable trash carts. That they also check with council as to the legality of requiring a lease for extra Toters brand carts from the town that exceeds the cost over the life-span and does not allow for the purchase of a comparable competitive product, or even to choose a Toters brand product made from all recycled materials. A metal mesh container with a lift bar and wheels would be recyclable and like clear trash bags should reduce trash volume. (Clear plastic bags reduced volume by 27%).
Instructional Motion Number: 23-06
Instruction to: Select Board & Town Manager
By David Talbot of Precinct 5
With McDonald’s at 413 Main seeking a site plan engineered to handle double the number of vehicles in an area of Main Street already at an “F” traffic level, move to request that:
- The Select Board / Town Manager commission an independent traffic study to provide accurate projections of traffic impacts and describe consequences if a doubling or other large traffic increase were to occur at 413 Main;
- CPDC request from MassDOT existing crash and accident levels in the area, and solicit the agency’s opinion on the traffic and safety impacts if a doubling or other large traffic increase were to occur;
- Select Board / Town Manager communicate to McDonald’s the potential availability of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund monies, and potentially other funding sources, if McDonald’s were to pursue a mixed-use development that would create far less traffic and better serve the community on many levels.
Background:
- Review and consider adding your name to this petition on the matter.
- Washington/Main intersection area is highly congested and at an “F” level of traffic, the worst level
- McDonald’s is already the largest traffic generator in the downtown, per opinion stated by the CPDC chair
- McDonald’s proposes an entirely new double-drive-through site plan plainly engineered to handle double the traffic on the site.
- McDonald’s is successfully pursuing a number of technological and marketing trends that provide a path to realizing this doubling by attracting new cars and delivery services to and through the site.
- McDonald’s to date has presented misleading traffic impact estimates (based on square footage only, not the new drive-through dynamics) and made the unsupported representation that the impacts would be “negligible.”
- Associated report by concerned residents provides data and background on these items.
