Belmont Town Meeting approves zoning overhaul, new sewer bylaw

Town Meeting · Meeting of June 1, 2026

Belmont Town Meeting adopts zoning overhaul and a contested private-sewer bylaw. Members approved three zoning articles presented by Planning and Building Director Chris Ryan: a rewritten site plan review process (216-12), a construction management bylaw for projects over 10,000 square feet (220-3), and new zoning allowing veterinary clinics and hospitals (237-3). Select Board member Carol Kennedy Berberian moved a fourth bylaw letting the town regulate and potentially acquire private sewer systems serving roughly 100 Belmont Hill homes still on septic; it passed 189-25 with eight abstentions after members like Liz Allison, citing $62,000-per-homeowner costs in other towns, and Rosemary Burke, who said "I don't think we understand what we're authorizing," pushed back.

State Senator Will Brownsberger told members local aid is up nearly $1 million and the $50 million Belmont Community Path should go to bid in July. A related sewer acquisition, Article 36, was postponed for a missing appraisal.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,998 words

Source: the Town Meeting meeting of June 1, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.