Council opens hearings on porch zoning, dispensary hours and Wayside Chipotle

MARLBOROUGH — October 3, 2022 — Marlborough City Council advances porch zoning, COSA dispensary hours and a Wayside Chipotle to Urban Affairs. The council voted 11-0 to transfer $250,000 from stabilization for five unmarked police cruisers, $168,979 to close a price gap on a 100-foot aerial platform tower truck previously backed by roughly $1.5 million in ARPA money, and $8,598.30 from the TNC surcharge reserve for traffic enforcement equipment. Vice President Sean A. Navin presented a Chapter 650, Section 40 amendment allowing covered entryways on single- and two-family homes with nonconforming setbacks; the Planning Board hearing is Nov. 7. Councilor Wagner warned that National Grid's winter basic-service rate is forecast at 33.89 cents per kilowatt-hour while the city's Inspire aggregation rate stays at 9.39 cents, projecting $9.6 million in winter savings for the roughly 4,000-account-shy participant base. President Michael H. Ossing said the Inspire contract expires January 2024 and "I'm not sure we're going to see nine cents" in the next deal.