“Hot town, summer in the city
Zoning details gettin' dirty and gritty”
With apologies to the Lovin Spoonful for adapting their lyrics to this week’s outlook
The Town Council has their only July meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 23 and it starts earlier than normal due to the nature and number of items on the agenda. Yes, pay attention, the action starts at 6 (not 7) PM on Wednesday.
Aside from some of the normal business items (new restaurant license, restaurant license moves, some but not of the expiring committee/board appointments) there are the multiple zoning items for the Crossing Neighborhood District up for referral to the Planning Board. These were a key part of the lengthy Economic Development Subcommittee meeting this past week. Add a few more voices to the discussion and it is likely to be lengthy as well.
All of this before the Council gets to weigh in on a new “friendly” 40b proposal (202 Washington St) as well as the promised adjustments to the friendly 40b process. Why not do the adjustments before the discussion on the new 40b proposal? Given the timing, the new 40b proposal would be applicable to the prior process not the new process (even if the new was approved).
One item not on the agenda related to 40b is a resident request to consider developing a “Franklin” 40b target. There are problems with the State calculation (including all apartment units to the 40b listing; for example, 121 Grove St will bring on 300 units but only 75 of them are affordable). Is 10% really a worthy target? Or should it be another and more accurate reflection of affordable units?
Settle in for a lengthy evening of important discussions and decisions beginning at 6 PM on Wednesday.
*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 7/18/25, 8:00 PM
Design Review Meeting
Tuesday, July 22 Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/450?fileID=5409
Charles River Pollution Control Meeting
Wednesday, July 23 Time: 3:00 PM
https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07232025-1824
Board of Health Meeting
Wednesday, July 23 Time:5:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07232025-1828
Town Council Meeting
Wednesday, July 23 Time: 6:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07232025-1829
Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Meeting
Thursday, July 24 Time: 7:00 PM
https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07242025-1825
Conservation Commission Meeting
Thursday, July 24 Time:7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/451?fileID=5417
*** Looking back at the week that was ***
The Economic Development Subcommittee met on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 in the 3rd Floor Training room. 3 members were present and participated in the first agenda item. Once that was complete, the 4th member, Cobi Frongillo joined them for the remainder of the session. He had recused himself from the Crossing Neighborhood District discussion to avoid a conflict of interest. His father's business is located in that potential district.
Franklin TV video replay is available -> https://www.youtube.com/live/6hKdQIw9rpQ
Franklin Matters recap -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/economic-development-subcmte-spends-3.html
Two musical performances were recorded at the Franklin TV Studio and now available for replay via YouTube:
Chad Hollister & Premo which includes a conversation with Jim Derick, Chad & Premo between songs => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXY5gQTcnpw
Electric Youth 2025 which includes a conversation with Raye Lynn Mercer and the group -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH0YtOwSaok
—------------
For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.
Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar
Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html
Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html
