HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-04-09 Planning Board MinutesPLANNING BOARD REPORT
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT
PUBLIC HEARING-ARTICLE 17
Pursuant to Section 5, Chapter 40A, General Laws, a public hearing
on this proposal was held on Thursday, April 9, 1981 at 7:00 P.M.
in Room 133, Reading Memorial High School, 62 Oakland Road with
Board members K.. Messina, J. Shaw, E. Childress and Chairman J.
Zorabedian present. There were 2 citizens also present as well
as Selectman Maureen T. O'Brien,' representing the Board of Select-
men, sponsors of this Article. -
The legal notice as published in the Reading Chronicle and posted
in Town Hall, in accordance with Section 11, Chapter 40A, General
Laws, was read into the record.
This matter was placed on the Special Tom Meeting Warraht by the
Board of Selectmen because of the sharp increase in the number ofj~_,,,
;.a,
applicationshc he Board of Selectmen has received bYf-piE;IV-dte citizens
to sell firearms and ammunition from private residences.
Ms. O'Brien also stated that the Board of Selectmen is not trying
to prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition in the Town of
Reading,,but is merely trying to restrict the sale to the Business
and/or Industrial zoned districts in order to more adequately
protect the citizens of the Town. With such a restriction the
Police and Fire department would be in close proximity and would thus
be quicker to respond emergency. Also with the
requirement of V, being restricted to these districts, the
Board of Selectmen can require a buf~_ar alarm system that would
.provide greater protection against theft. Such a system could
not be easily installed into a residence.
One citizen spoke in opposition to the passage of this By-law
requirement statina'= `4--a ct- r
- _ guns in this Town me-re used for recreational purposes
only;,
~ at such a restriction would be discriminatory;
- T
- Federal and State authorities investigate these license
applications long before the local authorities receive
such requests;
- a-t the Town should consider the sale of firearms as a
commodity and not as a dangerous and sinister business,
Careful restriction as to the number of licenses granted
would be a better enforcement policy than to totally
negate the sale of such firearms from residences;
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After the discussion, the Board members considered their vote on
this Article. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board
unanimously voted to recommend adoption of this Article so that
the residents of the Town could be more adequately protected against
fire, theft and other related dangers as regards the sale of firearms
from residences.
READING PLANNING BOARD
John Zorabedian, Jr., Chairman
Barry J. Mitchel, Clerk
John W. Shaw
Ellen. C. Childress
Kenneth G. Messina
