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Board -Committee -Commission -Council:
2022 APR 13 PM 3: 08
Bylaw Committee
Date: 2021-02-17 Time: 7:30 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: Discussion of Stormwater
Management and Erosion Control Bylaw,
Ongoing review of bylaws 1-8
Attendees: Members - Present:
Jeff Struble
Jason Clarke
Jesse Arnold
Chris O'Donoghue
Members - Not Present:
Steve Crook
Location: Berger Room
Session: Open Session
Version:
Others Present:
Matt Kraunelis, Ivria Fried
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jesse Arnold
Topics of Discussion:
Discussion of proposed revisions to the Stormwater Management and Erosion
Control section 7.9
This is for projects of more than an acre of land, and because of state and federal
permitting we can't really exclude this. The Bylaws Committee discussed possible
clarifications to how to streamline the language to improve on cohesiveness and clarity
and simplify the bylaw.
A Motion was made to accept article as amended by Chris O'Donnell and second by
Jason Clarke. The Bylaws Committee took a roll call vote which passed with a vote of
4-0.
Bylaw Review
8.6.1 Definitions
The Bylaws Committee discussed moving this to somewhere else in the Bylaws, and
agreed it is best to consult with Town Counsel to determine if this section can be
removed or moved elsewhere. The Bylaws Committee also discussed if we need a
definition of public receptacle, and what is a private receptacle.
8.6.1.1 Receptacle
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The Bylaws Committee suggests making the following change, as indicated in bold and
underlined lettering, to clarify the bylaw:
A litter storage and collection container, either public or Private, as required or
authorized by the Town.
8.6.1.6 Private Premises
The Bylaws Committee suggests making the following change, as indicated in bold and
underlined lettering, to clarify the bylaw:
Any dwelling, house, building, or other structure designed or used either wholly
or in part for private residential and/or business purposes, whether inhabited or
temporarily or continuously uninhabited or vacant and shall include any yard,
grounds, walks, driveway, porch, steps, vestibule or mailbox appurtenant to any
such dwelling, house, building, or other structure.
8.6.2.4 Prevention of Blowing Litter
The Bylaws Committee suggests making the following change, as indicated in bold and
underlined lettering, to clarify the bylaw:
All loose material which normally fits into containers but which are excess as a
result of special circumstances such as holidays, shall be bundled and secured
to prevent them from blowing or scattering and shall be placed adjacent the
containers.
8.6.4 Vehicles Transporting Loose Materials
The Bylaws Committee suggests making the following change, as indicated in bold and
underlined lettering, to clarify the bylaw:
No person shall drive or move a vehicle within the Town nor shall the owner of
any vehicle require or permit the same to be driven or moved within the Town,
unless such vehicle is constructed or loaded so as to prevent any of its load from
dropping, sifting, leaking, blowing, or otherwise escaping therefrom and being
deposited upon any street or other public or private place. Vehicles loaded with
any material which may be blown about by wind shall be suitably covered to
prevent the contents from being blown upon the streets or highways or Private
property. This section shall not prohibit the dropping of sand or salt or similar
product for the purpose of securing traction or the sprinkling of water or other
substance on such land in cleaning or maintaining the same.
8.7.3.3 Approving Authority
The Bylaws Committee suggests making the following change, as indicated in bold and
underlined lettering, to clarify the bylaw:
The approving authority shall be the Select Board. The Select Board or its
designee shall review and approve for compliance with Section 8.7.3, entitled
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Certificate of Compliance, Section 8.7.5, entitled Standards, and Section 8.7.9,
entitled Installation and Maintenance.
8.7.4.1 Additional Certificate of Compliance
The Bylaws Committee proposes to remove the following section of the above
mentioned bylaw:
Where the Select Board has required news racks to be set in corrals, or at
hitching posts pursuant to 8.7.5.1 below, additional fees shall be imposed by the
Select Board on Certificate Holders to offset the Town's costs for each such
corral or hitching post used by such Certificate Holder.
8.7.5.1 Placement
The Bylaws Committee proposes to remove the following section of the above
mentioned bylaw:
The Select Board may require that news racks at locations in which more than
three (3) are adjacent shall be set within an open-ended corral installed by the
Town; and the Select Board may require that news racks at a particular location
be chained to each other and/or to a permanent hitching post installed by the
Town. The Select Board may choose the locations for corrals and hitching posts
based on the history of misaligned or knocked over news racks at the location,
the high volume of pedestrian traffic at the location, or the relatively high
concentration of news racks at the location. However, nothing in this paragraph
shall be construed to limit the locations at which corrals and hitching posts may
be required.
New Business
The Bylaws Committee discussed a citizen query into bylaws about noise ordinances
and restrictions. Jeff Struble and Jason Clarke will research what other towns have
created regarding noise ordinance restriction.
A motion to accept minutes from 9.16.20 as amended was moved by Jason Clarke, and
seconded by Chris O'Donnell and passed with a vote of 4-0.
A motion to accept minutes from 9.30.20 as amended was moved by Chris O'Donnell,
and seconded by Jason Clarke and passed with a vote of 4-0.
The next Bylaws Committee meeting will resume the review of the bylaws 8.8 and 8.9.
At 9:24pm a motion to adjourn was made by Jason Clarke and seconded by Chris
O'Donnell and passed with a vote of 4-0
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