Yeah. >> Um >> do we have Sorry. Go ahead. >> In February, we're not I don't know. I'm just At one point, right, when our kids were in school, right, when we were in session, we met the first and third Wednesday. That's how it always was. And then last year, the year before it changed where we cut down meetings and they end up being a lot longer. So is there a reason that we're keeping this this way? The reason I Oh, sorry. Go ahead. We had made Sorry. We had made the adjustments for January and February because so many finance committee meetings came up and there was um sort of the like we needed a meeting in January, we didn't need a meeting in January. So, the first year we were on the board two years ago, um it was recommended, I think, by John and Rosa because she was the chair of the finance committee at the time, that we cut down on board of ed meetings to make room for board of finance meetings that needed to come up and any potential um or sorry, finance committee meetings and then any potential board of finance meetings that we needed to >> meet.
Miss Kendall, >> thank you. Uh Trisha Kendall, 6 Reba Road. Um just a note that um though I do though I am the current chair of the planning board. This isn't this isn't really an article before the planning board. It kind of started out there but um is not a planning article at the present time. So, what this does, if you might remember, um, last year, I think it was, ASHA needed to, uh, revise its bylaws regarding in-law suites, um, uh, in-law apartments in order to bring that in line with state law, which we did. And, um, what it did is leave something behind um, something that we that we had before. This was pointed out to me and to the planning board um shortly actually shortly before town meeting. Um Doug Scott, building commissioner for Ashlin, pointed out that it makes it a little bit difficult for him to um to approve an in-law suite that is contained within someone's home.
Yeah. So like it was like this year the board of finance met and then we had to meet remember we put on a meeting a special meeting in February to review what they what the recommendations were. So >> that was why we had cut it down. There's no there's no rhyme. >> But it's it's in November too. So it's like November 18th but we're not not meeting November 4th. I just think it just makes really long meetings when we're not meeting. And I would also like make the recommendation that we need to change it on the website because it says we need the first and third Wednesday. So, you know what? I was just talking to Lisa about that cuz I saw that and our policy had we actually had a bylaw change. So, I don't know if you guys remember we had that language where it said the meetings would be some time of year on Wednesdays like I don't remember exactly what the language is, but we never updated it on that part of the website.
So that what this article does is kind of it separates um it acknowledges that there are two things here. One is an in-law apartment which was approved and that is a completely separate dwelling unit according to the state. It has safety considerations around it. It has certain means of egress that are required for proper um egress during a fire. Um so that is one thing that stays obviously on the books. It has its own bylaw. This is about having what we're calling a secondary suite that has met many names over the years. The granny flat or the in-law suite or whatever. It does not have to be for a family member, but what this is is allowing um within a home a separate apartment that is really integrated with that home. And you can do that with the building code as it is, but it makes it very hard for our building department to distinguish between the two and to make sure that safety mechanisms are in place um really for the in-law suite, sorry, for the in-law apartment versus this.
And I actually just made a note today when I was reviewing it to tell her that because some of the website language when we've updated the policies, I haven't I've forgotten to review the the actual website language. So, thank you for bringing that from to my to so I can make a um remember to tell Lisa that. But yes, our bylaws did change. Our bylaws no longer say first and third Wednesday because we had changed it. >> Yeah, I just happened to go on it. >> Yeah, I did too because I was trying to look >> to pull with the school up. But um I just think you know some of these meetings just get really long when we have one once a month. >> Seems like February 17th that's like pushed a little bit. I feel like we should have >> Where did we have it though?
And also to make sure that there's transparency in the sale of the property that someone is either selling something with an in-laws an in-law apartment which can be rented out and an secondary suite which cannot which is really meant to be a suite for a close friend, a family member that's completely contained within your home. One example of this I I say is that um if there's a fire in the two people in the in-law apartment exit through their own door. It doesn't matter, you know, they have their own doors. They can just exit the fire exit the the living unit from their own house. If you're in a secondary suite that's contained within a house, you need to run through, say, your daughter's house or your friend's house in order to to get out, right? So, these are really two different things. And what this bylaw does is just puts um asks that the someone who applies for a building permit for a secondary suite that's contained within the house to that we that they register that and it becomes a part of the deed.
Where did we have it? >> We had it the third or the 10th. We have it on Ash Wednesday. We always have a meeting on Ash Wednesday. >> I 10th makes sense >> which is February 10th. But >> there may have been >> because it's a long stretch from January 6th. This year we had it on Wednesday 18th, February 18th. So I don't know why. Yeah. >> Yeah. Adding maybe the 3rd. Makes sense. >> The 10th or the third. >> Third or the 10th. Yeah. >> I don't know. Supposed to be the first and the third or K. >> The first Well, no. It used to be the first and third Wednesday. But that's not what it's been. I just think, >> you know, if April breaks in there, right? So we I get that we only have one. Um, but when you're waiting sometimes five weeks, a lot happens in five weeks.
So when that property might be sold, the person who might be buying the property knows which one of these things it is because they can look very similar, though the safety mechanisms are very different. >> Did I explain that? Okay, Doug, >> thank you. >> Good evening. >> Um, so I'm Doug Scott. I'm your building commissioner. Some people love me, some people hate me, but this part of my life. So an ADU is what came from down from the state that was required by every community in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. An ADU is a single is treated as a single family home. So if you build an ADU on your lot, um you can be a separated on its own part of your lot, could be attached to your lot or you could convert it in your basement. Uh but the differences are substantial. Uh and the the biggest one is cost.
>> But the the 10th to the 17th with four days off in between, that seems kind of >> silly >> to do it that close to each other. I might do the 3rd and the 17th if you're going to >> Can I make a comment? I mean I I as the finance committee chair selfishly would like to standing meetings in the month of January for the board of ed >> because we had a lot of special meetings. So I would advise that we >> if if we're looking at opportunities or debating you know adding back that's where we >> keep February 17th and make January 6th and then another one the 20th. You >> okay with that? January 20th. Cool. >> 6, 2017. >> Yeah. >> Okay. We good. Okay. >> And March 17th, that's St. Patrick's Day. I'm a little a little selfish on that.
Uh an ADU since it's treated as a single family home, it is taxed as a single family home. It's got two separate entrances and exits. It's got a fire separation uh barrier between the uh if it's attached to or in uh in the basement. It's uh two separate uh fire alarm systems, two separate water sewer systems. So, it's basically again it comes down to it's a single family home. So the I I don't want to confuse you or what what Trish said, but we used to have before this came about and we're not the only town this happened was we used to uh have this an in-law apartment which you could renovate, many of you, I'm sure, aware of it. You renovate your basement. you know, your your mother, your father, your parents um could uh could live in the basement. It was open it was open to the rest of the house.
I like to go out that night. I know. >> Not going to lie. >> I think that was probably like an accident or coincidence. [laughter] >> We got to change that or else I won't be there. >> Do you want to do it the week before, the week after? >> 24th. Why not? There's There's five Wednesdays in March. I don't think we should have >> wait >> 24th is a conference. >> No, the 17th. >> Oh, then yeah, we have to change that. I'm sorry. >> Should we want it on the 24th then? >> No, it's a night of conferences, too. So, I'm sorry, Casey. I'm sorry. >> That's No, that's okay. I think um by March 17th or 24th, I don't know that that much matters because it's really in the board. It's the board of finances budget at that point. So, I think >> 24th is 24th.
Um and and there was free passage. Um and accidentally when the town at that meeting a year or a town meeting a year ago, that was deleted from your zone of ordinances. And so what when I realized what had happened, I said, "Well, like I'm almost 70 and if I could torture my kids and get an in-law apartment, that's what I'm going to do." Uh so I was So I said, "We got to get this back in." I talked to uh town manager and and the assistant town managers and Trish and and the fire department and uh and we thought it was a good thing for the town for uh for for us to get this back on our on our zoning ordinances. Yes, the building code it allows you to do it, but since it's not in the zoning ordinances, I could not permit it.
Is that okay for everyone? >> Yeah. Okay. >> It's my accommodation. And we're going to April 21st meetings, right? We're keeping April 7th and the >> No, we would remove the seventh and we would only meet the 21st. >> Yeah. So then >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> We would take that one off. >> So April 21st. >> So the rest will be good. >> Then Erin, are you are you recording this for Lisa or how are we how are we >> goes back and watches it? But yeah, I have a recap. >> We can recap >> adding February 3rd. >> We are. >> Are we adding February 3rd or not? No, we're adding >> No, no. We're >> February 17th is staying. We're adding the January 20th. So, it' be January 6th, January 20th, then February 17th. >> We have to hand over the budget by the end of January.
and and that's one of the big the other big reasons why I'm I I'm requesting that you approve this. So, because it's going to help everybody in the long run. Um, and the last thing I'm going to say is that, you know, a renovation for the in the basement, uh, you know, bedroom, a little living area, tiny kitchen, and a bathroom, you could probably do it for about 130 140,000. an ADU is over 250,000. Um, and that's it. Thank you. To allow discussion, I'll entertain a motion that the town amend chapter 98 of the general bylaws by adding a new article 5 secondary suite as printed in article 9 of the warrant. Dr. Motion. >> Thank you. discussion. I appreciate the enthusiasm on that second. >> Hi, Janet Platt, 11 Rodman Road. Um, I am still a little confused about this. I've been sort of following this.
January 20th. >> 20th. Yeah. >> And then February 17th. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> And then March 17th turns to March 24th. April 7th turns April 21st. And uh we can celebrate my birthday next year during the meeting. >> Oh no. >> It's totally fine. Totally fine. Trust me. >> That happened to me this year. >> Yeah. Um I'll bring a birthday cake hat from the birth from Burger King if they still have them. >> Um >> bring cupcakes on me. >> Everyone okay with the rest? >> Uh do we make the motion tonight or we have to >> No, there need to be a motion. It's just scheduling. >> Absolutely. Sweet. >> No. Well, so we approve this >> possible motion. >> So we approve it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah, we >> all those in favor. I'm sorry. >> You're right. >> I move that the board um approve the 2627 board of education meeting dates >> as discussed.
Um, the thing I didn't like about the old in-law apartment law um that we had on the books was that it wasn't supposed to be rented after the demise of the loved one living there. And I'm happy that this doesn't say that. Um, because like you I can rent a bedroom in my house. It doesn't have to be an ADU or an in-law apartment. I I can rent to someone living in my house. So, I appreciate that this um doesn't put that limitation. I also appreciate that it allows um what Strongtowns calls incremental development by um giving a family an opportunity to house another family member and then another buyer comes and there can be two people living there and they can still build an ADU because this does not preclude that. So then we can have potentially three units on a property um because they're separate things.
>> I'll second that. >> All right. Since we discussed it, anyone else? All those in favor of accepting the uh changes to the calendar for our meeting dates indicate by saying I >> I any naysay thank you. Next grant application >> I have >> approval of idea right the IDA idea grant application. >> I move that the board approve the annual submission of the district IDA grant as required by state law. Second that.
So I'm still pretty confused about this. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I do like the incremental development potential. Thank you, >> Mr. Done. >> Hey, good evening. Mark Sony, 119 Main Street. No in-laws to speak of for this article. Both my parents have passed and I'm living in the ashen house next door. So I don't have any anything to say about it. But the idea is saying when the parents told the kids when when you grow up you got to be living the best you can. But when this we need you need something we hope you have it for us. I don't have it for us. I don't have it for my parents, but how well is this going to be if there is no zoning commitments? >> I I'm sorry. I don't understand the question you're asking, Mark. >> If a person has does not have a house, who lives in an apartment, no basement, no nothing, how is that going to work for them?
>> And any discussion on that? All right. Yes. All those in favor of approving the grant applic IDA grant application indicate by saying I. >> I. I. >> Any nays? No nays. Thank you. >> I move that the board of education increase the permanent building substitute rate of pay increase to $10 per day and an increase of $5 per day. Oh, I think some of mine's cut off. pay of pay. >> Yeah. Let's see. >> Scratch that. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, you you were right. >> But you said mine's cut off. >> You said Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Instead of pay increase, reading a pay of increase. >> I'm like cut off here, too. I'm missing half of this. So, just for I'm just for reference, our agenda this morning that was out there um said hourly. >> So, the motion will just be the correct version.
>> That's God. town council. >> It It doesn't apply, Mark. It won't apply to that. >> Yep. And that's why I'm This is good for homes and houses that the parents or the siblings are saying, "My in-laws are coming back again and they're going to live with us. Here's the home. That's it." Um, See no further discussion. Um, this will require a simple majority. All those in favor of the motion or article 9, please raise your cards. Thank you. And opposed. That passes overwhelmingly. Article 10 amend chapter 282 section 9.6. six design plan review sponsored by the planning board. See, the town will vote to amend chapter 282 section 9.62 and 9.63 design plan review the town of Ashlin zoning bylaw as is printed in your handbooks. I do want to make folks aware that there are two scriveners errors in this should read it reads 962 form design review is conducted by a non-permanent committee made up of three members.