Belmont Town Meeting Approves Center Zoning Overlay 165-87

Special Town Meeting · Meeting of March 4, 2026

Belmont Special Town Meeting approves Belmont Center form-based zoning overlay, 165-87, after rejecting postponement. Members first voted down a motion to indefinitely postpone Article 2, 146-121, before passing the overlay, which allows buildings up to five stories in parts of the center and requires two floors of commercial use. Warrant Committee Chair Paul Richter projected a net annual fiscal impact of $240,000 to $940,000, "not a small amount," while Select Board member Elizabeth Dion said "it is time for town meeting to take a clear stand on expanding the town's commercial property tax base." Former moderator Michael Widmer warned "the overlay proposal will not provide meaningful property tax relief." The Warrant Committee itself split 6-6 with four abstentions on the article.

Town meeting adjourns to March 5 to consider Article 3.

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Source: the Special Town Meeting meeting of March 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.