Hamilton Planning Board Continues Zoning Hearing Amid Unresolved Drafting Problems

HAMILTON — June 3, 2025 — Hamilton Planning Board unanimously continues zoning overhaul hearing as warrant articles remain incomplete. The board voted June 3 to push its public hearing on a sweeping form-based code and MBTA Communities 3A zoning package to June 17, after Chair Marie Crouch and members identified multiple unresolved problems in the fourth draft prepared by consultant UTile, including ambiguous nonconformity language in Section 9.8.1.3B and the absence of any drafted appendices for the two warrant articles. Town Counsel Carolyn Murray of KP Law confirmed that state law requires the 3A-compliant zoning changes — which need only a simple majority — to be separated into a distinct article from provisions requiring a two-thirds vote, a drafting task that has not yet begun. The board learned informally that Select Board Chair Bill Olson and Town Administrator Joe Domeleca have discussed rescheduling the June 26 special town meeting to July 10 to allow more review time, though the Select Board had not formally voted on the change as of June 3. The town faces a July 14 state compliance deadline and has spent more than $150,000 developing the zoning package.