City Council Meeting
Council approved local adoption of the Merrimack Valley Region Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (2025-005), accepted a quitclaim deed for Lot X in the Eastern Lights Subdivision (2024-145), and voted to lay out and accept Colonial Drive as a public way (2024-144; 2024-146). Several budget orders (2025-002, 2025-003, 2025-004) were referred to Budget & Finance with second-reading dates set.
The City Council heard presentations and acted on a mix of regional planning, property, public-way, and budget referral items. The council adopted the Merrimack Valley Region Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (2025-005) after an MVPC presentation. The council approved acceptance of a quitclaim deed for Lot X in the Eastern Lights Subdivision (2024-145). Two related public-hearing items concerning Colonial Drive were approved: a vote of intent to lay out Colonial Drive and referral to the Planning Board (2024-144), and the layout and acceptance of Colonial Drive as a public way (2024-146). Both Colonial Drive votes passed 8-1 with one councilor opposed.
Councilors also referred several fiscal orders to Budget & Finance: an order requesting authorization for DPW to overspend the FY2025 snow and ice appropriation (2025-002), an order to appropriate $145,193.52 from Water Retained Earnings to Water Other Expenses (2025-003), and a transfer of $1,615 within Youth Services (2025-004). Significant substantive discussion included an update on the Renewable Energy Development Overlay District application (2024-096), where Planning Board review is pending and councilors raised questions about environmental protections and the Dover Amendment; councilors also debated whether setting second-reading dates at first readings confuses the public. Public commenters raised concerns about the Housing Trust and submitted a police-report-related complaint for follow-up; the council acknowledged those comments but took no direct action on them at this meeting.