Brookline Town Meeting Adjusts Affordable Housing, Eyes Airbnb

BROOKLINE, MA — Brookline Town Meeting approved creating a fund to hold money that the town receives from the two cannabis shops for later appropriation and took a step toward increasing affordable housing in town on the second night of what promises to last at least four nights.

But much of the debate Wednesday centered around two topics: affordable housing and short term rentals.

After more than an hour, Town Meeting voted to increase the number of people sitting on the Housing Advisory Board to 10 and include three low or moderate income residents to provide diversity of views. Opponents argued 10 would be too many to have on a board and would make it difficult to schedule meetings, others argued that it would be best kept to experts.

The last hour of the meeting was dedicated to three proposals that would adjust how the town handles short-term rentals such as AirBnB. Although the town has been working on the question for years, a number of town meeting members expressed surprise and concern at what some of the proposed regulations could mean.

"I'm surprised that as someone who owns my own home I couldn't help to fund a trip to visit a family member by renting out my unit for a week or two weeks," said Town Meeting Member Robert Miller.

After back and forth between those who asked for quick action on restricting short term rentals and enforcing those restrictions and those who were more cautious, warrant articles 9, 10 and 11 were referred to a moderator's committee and report back before the spring Town Meeting.

Tuesday, on the first night of the annual Fall Town Meeting, about 223 of the town's 248 voting members cast ballots to easily approve spending an extra $33 million on the renovations at the high school. And then, despite pushback, the 2.5 percent wage increase for the Brookline Police Department. Town Meeting will continue Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Here's how the meeting voted on Wednesday night.:

Compromise motion to "The Brown Amendment" to the Advisory Committee's resolution.

• Vote: Passes 226 in favor, 1 opposed and 5 abstaining.

Article 3: Asks to rescind a $4 million bond authorization that is no longer needed for the Driscoll School HVAC (Select Board)

• Vote: Passes with 224 in favor 2 opposed and 3 abstaining

Article 4: Approval of unpaid bills. (Select Board)

• Vote: No unpaid bills, so no motion.

Article 5: Establish a Marijuana mitigation stabilization fund (Select Board) Establishing this would allow the town to take host community agreement fees from its cannabis shops to this fund, to be saved for later use.

• Vote: Passes with 225 in favor 1 opposed and 3 abstaining

Article 6: Resolution regarding in-car video and body-worn camera policy for the police department (TMM Donelle O’Neal)

• Vote: Not moved.

Article 7: Amending Brookline Affordable Housing requirements (Roger Blood) This would amend the town's zoning bylaw to increase production of and resources for new affordable housing by reducing the minimum number of units that triggers an obligation to include affordable housing and other measures.

• Vote: Passes 222 in favor, 1 against 2 abstaining

Article 8: Amend rules to expand membership of low/moderate income members on the Housing Board.

• Vote: O'Neil amendment (which increases the number on the Housing Adisory Board to 10, with three low or moderate income residents) passes 155 in favor, 64 against 9 abstaining.
• Vote: Main motion: passes 217 in favor, 7 opposed 4 abstaining.

Article 9: Amend zoning bylaws to address Short-Term Rentals (Select Board)

Article 10: Proposal to amend general bylaws to create regulations allowing for short-term rentals (Select Board)

Article 11 Proposal to amend bylaws to create enforcement of short-term rental regulations (Select Board)

Vote: These three warrants were referred to a moderator's committee to report back before spring Town Meeting.

Read more:

Night 1: Brookline Town Meeting Approves $33M For Brookline High School

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how .