At the Special Town Meeting on Saturday, October 17th, voters will decide whether or not to allow the change that ZBA member Doris Cahill advocates as:

a step in the right direction to slightly increase housing without making some of the. . . more increased density that you might see with other types of housing solutions

Under current zoning, there are only two ways to create a two-family home. One is to convert a single family home that has existed for at least two years to a two-family home. The other is to add an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).

As Cahill has previously highlighted, the ADU laws were intended to allow people to add an accessory unit to an existing house. But since Southborough doesn’t have zoning for new two-family homes, some developers were looking to use the ADU laws for that purpose.

When the Town looked at neighboring towns, the only one that included a time restraint for creating two-family homes was Framingham. With help from their Assistant Lara Davis, the ZBA proposed a bylaw change to add a definition for two-family homes to Town zoning (since it’s referenced but not defined) and revise bylaws to remove time restraints.

At last week’s Select Board meeting, member Sam Stivers said he has heard directly from residents that worry the bylaw could change the character of their neighborhood. He noted that adds to the challenge of getting the over ⅔ support needed for passing a zoning bylaw change.

Unlike ADUs, two-family homes are defined as either stacked or sharing a wall. They can’t be stand alone units.

The two-family zoning use would still be subject to a discretionary special permit through hearings held by the Zoning Board of Appeals. And the properties would have to meet restrictions for setbacks and height. (Although, the ZBA is also the board with authority to grant variances for both of those restrictions.)

Any development would also need to meet septic requirements. That could be the biggest restraint on dense development, given water issues for many properties in town. Unlike with adding an ADU, building/converting to family homes requires having two septic tanks. (Scroll down to read more on ADUs related to this bylaw — differences and additional units.)

Last week, former Planning Board member Meme Luttrell raised the concern that the way the bylaw change is written might cause some applicants to incorrectly believe the bylaw allows denser housing than allowed in downtown zoning districts. I was one of those people — until I got clarity from Davis on the relevant residential carve out in existing zoning bylaws that I missed.

Instead of specifying that the zoning change is for lots of at least 15,000 sq ft, the revised language points property owners to the lot size restrictions for their zoning district.

At first glance, it seems that allows smaller lots in the Downtown District and Downtown Business Village. For instance, under the DD zoning the Development standards lists a Minimum area of 5,000 sq ft. But further down, the 9th standard in the list specifies:

Single-family or two-family dwellings in the Downtown District shall comply with [Residential B] District standards.

Under Residential B zoning, the minimum lot size is even more more restrictive than the current bylaw — 25,000 sq ft. In the Residential A zone, the lot size is even larger — 43,560 sq ft (1 acre) with a minimum 20,000 square feet exclusive of wetlands.

That appears to rule out someone carving up parcels into small lots to take advantage of the new use.

I asked Davis about the impact of bylaw changes for owners of existing single family homes on lots at least 15,000 sq ft but smaller than defined by the Res B and Res A zoning. She explained that those are non-conforming lots — ones that pre-existed modern zoning bylaws.

If the owner of a single family home on a non-conforming lot seeks to convert that home to a two-family house, they can apply for zoning relief under the bylaws for non-conforming lots.

Two Family Homes and/or ADUs

As I posted previously, Davis has publicly remarked that she believed the state laws for ADUs would allow adding one to a two family home. She confirmed that is accurate. But, if an ADU is attached to a two family home, that would trigger treating it as a three family home that has to meet commercial building code standards — including installing a sprinkler system.

That wouldn’t be triggered by adding a detached next to a two family home. Under the Town’s amended ADU bylaw, that accessory couldn’t be larger than the dwelling space of the primary unit, and would be capped at 1,200 sq ft. The zoning setbacks for the district would also still apply.

Plus, Davis noted that one of the two family home’s septic systems would need to cover the number of combined bedrooms for the primary and accessory dwelling units.

Special Town Meeting

Last Wednesday, the board voted to submit “clean” language to the Select Board for inclusion in the Warrant to eliminate some scrivener’s errors and extraneous text. (The Select Board is scheduled vote on the Warrant this Thursday morning.) The packet hasn’t been posted yet, but Davis shared the proposed language here.

The Special Town Meeting will open at 10:00 am on Saturday, October 17th. The zoning bylaw change is one of only eight Articles on the Warrant.

The post A look at the Two-Family Housing change headed to Special Town Meeting appeared first on My Southborough.

Last week, I shared a number of government committee vacancies in need of filling. That was initially prompted by the Town advertising for volunteers to join the Southborough Cultural Arts Council.

But what I hadn’t shared, and just learned, is that the SCAC “has only three active members and needs at least five members to conduct official business.”

Below is their recruitment promo:

Council members help support and fund local programs in the arts, humanities, and sciences—including concerts, festivals, school field trips, theater, dance, music, lectures, and other community-based cultural experiences.

If you are passionate about strengthening arts and culture in Southborough, consider volunteering and helping bring meaningful programs to our community!

Get involved and help make a creative impact in Southborough!

The SCAC approves local funding grants provided through the Mass Cultural Council. MCC’s website explains:

Southborough CAC is one of ~300 local councils serving every town in MA, with an objective of supporting and advancing arts & culture. The CAC is responsible for annually administering state grants to arts & cultural organizations serving Southborough.

That page shows that SCAC has been authorized to award $6,500 in grants for 2027. But the council has yet to identify its priorities and guidelines for the next set of awards. It appears that’s part of the official business it needs more volunteers for.

The council last met in May. At that time, they described holding a reception this fall for recipients of grants through the last award cycle. That application window was open this time last year.

SCAC’s page on the Town’s website explains:

The Local Cultural Council (LCC) program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences annually.

The program promotes the availability of rich cultural experiences for every Massachusetts citizen.

Administered by 2,400 municipally appointed volunteers, the LCC network consists of 329 councils serving all 351 Massachusetts Cities and Towns. Each year, local Councils award more than $3 million in grants to more than 5,000 cultural programs statewide. These include school field trips, afterschool programs, concerts, festivals, lectures, theater, dance, music, and film. LCC projects take place in schools, community centers, libraries, elder care facilities, town halls, parks, and wherever communities come together.

You can view past meeting minutes here and videos of past meetings here.

To apply, click here.

For a reminder of other committees also in need of members, click here.

(image of flyer and hands edited from public domain image by Karen Arnold)

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[Results from last week’s competitions, media highlights, and what’s on tap this week in Algonquin Regional High School varsity sports.]

ARHS Football scored another big win on Friday. They shutout Marlborough 30-0. Their 2-0 record is too short to call it a streak. But the strongest season start in a decade is certain to students hope for a good fall.

As I alluded to, it struck me that the Titan’s hadn’t had this strong a start in recent memory. Scroll down for more on what I found when I looked back at my past coverage.

As for Friday’s win, Metrowest Daily News posted a gallery of photo highlights that you can view here.

Girls Volleyball was less successful in following up their strong opening week. In their second week of the season, they scored their first two losses. That, updaes their record to 2-2. The losses were 3-1 to Westborough and 3-0 to Wachusett.

Boys Soccer scored their first season win 4-3 at Wachusett last Tuesday. That was followed with a 1-1 tie with Grafton on Thursday. Their record is now improved to 1-1-2.

Girls Soccer had an even better improvement, scoring their first two wins in their first two home games. They shut out 2-0 Wachusett on Tuesday and Grafton 1-0 on Friday. Their record is now 2-1-1.

Photographer Jeff Slovin captured some intense moments in his pics posted to Instagram:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jeff Slovin Photography (@jeffslovinphoto)

Last week, ARHS Cross Country hosted the school’s first meet of the season. The ARHS Boys beat Grafton, but the Girls lost their meet. Below are Slovin’s photo highlights:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jeff Slovin Photography (@jeffslovinphoto)

This weekend, the teams will participate in their first tournament of the season. That’s at the MSTCA (Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association) Frank Kelley Invitational.

ARHS Boys Golf beat Hudson on Monday, but followed with losses to Westborough and Wachusett. While the team’s record is only 2-5, in the Telegram’s recaps, the Titan’s Zack Dreyer has consistently been highlighted as the top player. In 6 of the 7 games, he either shot even-par or 1-over.

Field Hockey lost its second game 1-0 to Wachusett on Monday. But they followed with their first win, 4-1 over Leominster in Wednesday’s home opener. Slovin captured some happy highlights:

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Jeff Slovin Photography (@jeffslovinphoto)

As, I promised, following up on ARHS Football’s strong start. . . I discovered that this fall is the first time Gonk Football has won its first two straight games of the season in ten years. 

In 2016, ARHS beat Nashoba 13-7 and Marlborough 17-7. They went on to not only make the Divisional playoffs that year, but also win their semi-finals against Wachusetts before losing the Finals to Shrewsbury. (That was back before the playoffs were reformatted to skip divisionals and put teams straight into state playoffs.)

Now, here are the ARHS varsity games on tap for this week¹:

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

• 3:30 pm – Boys Golf vs. Shrewsbury @ Algonquin
• 4:00 pm – Girls Cross Country vs. Westborough @ Westborough
• 4:00 pm – Boys Cross Country vs. Westborough @ Westborough
• 4:00 pm – Girls Soccer vs. Nashoba Regional @ Nashoba Regional
• 5:15 pm – Girls Volleyball vs. Nipmuc Regional High @ Algonquin
• 6:00 pm – Boys Soccer vs. Leominster @ Algonquin

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

• 4:00 pm – Girls Field Hockey vs. Grafton High @ Grafton High

Thursday, September 24, 2026

• 3:30 pm – Boys Golf vs. Grafton High @ Algonquin
• 5:00 pm – Girls Soccer vs. Shepherd Hill Regional High @ Algonquin

Friday, September 25, 2026

• 4:00 pm – Girls Field Hockey vs. Shrewsbury @ Algonquin
• 5:00 pm – Boys Soccer vs. Nashoba Regional @ Nashoba Regional
• 5:15 pm – Girls Volleyball vs. Nashoba Regional @ Nashoba Regional
• 6:00 pm – Boys Football vs. Concord-Carlisle High @ Algonquin

Saturday, September 26, 2026

• Girls Cross Country @ MSTCA Frank Kelley XC Invitational
• Boys Cross Country @ MSTCA Frank Kelley XC Invitational

[Note: You can purchase a school-year pass for home game tickets here. For individual game tickets, check here.]

The post The week in ARHS sports appeared first on My Southborough.

Here are the posted open, public Southborough committee and board meetings for this week* along with my selected highlights from the agendas.

As always, be aware that changes to the meeting schedule (and agendas) are known to happen throughout the week. (Scroll down for details on any meetings that popped up after last Monday’s post.) For an updated list of meetings, visit the Town website.

These days, most (but not all) meetings, can be participated in, watched live, and replayed from home.)**

Monday, September 21, 2026

• Southborough Housing Authority Meeting, 5:30 pm @ Colonial Gardens (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Discuss CPC funds and collaboration with Affordable Housing Trust

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

• Municipal Technology Committee Meeting, 6:30 pm @ zoom only (agenda) Agenda Highlights: 2026 resident satisfaction survey design; Business process improvement suggestion; Tech related articles at Fall town meeting; Website update project; DPW Tech
• Affordable Housing Trust Meeting, 7:30 pm @ zoom only (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Update on conversation with chair of Westborough Affordable Housing Trust; 55+ Housing Bylaw Update; Discuss financial approaches, CPA application, and potential strategies; Review questions for MTC survey

Thursday, September 24, 2026

• Select Board Meeting, 8:00 am @ zoom only (agenda with packet) Agenda Highlights: Consider Revisions to Special Town Meeting Articles and close the Warrant; Financial Policy – Procurement/Conflict of Interest
• Cemetery Expansion Committee Meeting, 1:00 pm @ Department of Public Works Building (agenda and packet) Agenda Highlights: DPW Superintendent’s draft Screening Categories; number of plots per acre to be used for selection purposes
• Elementary School Building Committee Meeting, 7:00 pm @ zoom only (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Presentation from consultant on Schematic Design Updates, Meeting with Educators, and Site Plan; Review Updated Educational Matrix and Price Estimates; Discuss Preferred Option to Move forward

Looking Back:

Below are meetings from last week that were posted to the Town website after I initially ran the list last Monday morning (including ones that I added in later updates):

*I don’t list meetings that are only closed Executive Sessions unless the agenda indicates the possibility of some action in an open public session at the opening or closing of the meeting.

**Details on watching meetings remotely:

• Town Committee/Board Meetings:
  • If in-person meetings don’t also advertise a zoom option, assume that it won’t be broadcast or captured on video.
  • To remotely participate in meetings that allow zoom, click here.
  • To live stream (or view later) remote or hybrid meetings (even those covered by Southborough Access Media) over the internet, use the Town’s YouTube Channel for Remote Meetings. (The meetings covered by SAM can also be streamed on their website here, and eventually on SAM’s YouTube Channel.)
  • Cable Access — Southborough Access Media broadcasts the regular evening meetings for the Select Board, Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals that take place in the Town House Hearing Room. (Those meetings will still allow zoom participation.) View SAM’s live and replayed broadcasts via their Government cable access channel (Verizon-37 and Charter-194).

Updated (9/22/26 2:45 pm): The MTC added a meeting on Wednesday and both the Cemetery Expansion Committee and Elementary School Building Committee posted agendas for Thursday. Plus, AHT added to their listed agenda items.

The post The week in government <i>(Updated)</i> appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: Some of the highlights in town this weekend through next (images cropped from flyers, photo by Beth Melo and Pilgrim Church website)

Here are highlights of what’s happening around (or related to) our town this weekend through next weekend.

(The gray font below is for previously established long running events that take place weekly or bi-weekly.)

Friday evening, September 18, 2026

• Live Music with Simmer Down (8:00 – 11:00 pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: The rock band will perform “hits spanning from classic rock and roll, to 90s rock, to today’s radio hits!” For details, click here.

Saturday, September 19, 2026

• Craft Swap (2:00 – 3:00pm) @ Southborough Library: Crafters are invited to bring craft materials to donate/exchange for other materials. Materials may be dropped off a week in advance. Only accepting certain items in good condition. For details, see dedicated post.
• Intro to Robotics & Engineering (2:00 – 3:00 pm) @ Southborough Library, Eaton Room: Registration is required for this free hands-on lessons for grades 4-7. It’s part of a bi-weekly series on specific robotics & engineering topics. This session’s theme is “Design It, Build It, Break It: The Engineering Challenge”. For details, see dedicated post.
• Sit & Knit (2:00 – 4:00 pm) @ Southborough Library: Back on it’s bi-weekly Saturday meetings for the season. This drop-in program for ages 18+ encourages working on your latest knitting or crochet projects while you enjoy the company of fellow yarn crafters in a relaxed social setting. All levels are welcome but no formal instruction will be given.
• Opening Art Reception (3:00 – 7:00 pm) @ Southborough History and Arts Center, 42 Central St: Reception for painter Nan Hass Feldman’s exhibit “Calling Through the Darkness: Landscapes Real and Imagined”. . For details, see dedicated post.

Sunday, September 20, 2026

• Kids’ Church Kickoff (10:00 am) @ Pilgrim Church Cong: The congregation’s annual Rally Sunday event to kick off the new season of Kids’ Church includes a petting zoo, crafts, and refreshments. For details, see dedicated post.

Monday, September 21, 2026

• No NSBORO School: Northborough-Southborough Public Schools are closed to allow community members to observe the religious holiday of Yom Kippur.
• Walking Group for Seniors (8:30 am) @ Trottier Middle School’s outdoor track: Free weekly walking group organized by the Southborough Senior Center. (Dependent on weather conditions.) Walkers generally go for an hour, but continue for as long as you wish. The location is a loop, so feel free to join late.
• Preschool Story Time (10:30 – 11:15 am) @ Southborough Library Children’s Room: Ages 2-5 are invited for stories and a craft based on a weekly theme (and sometimes a couple of songs). No registration required. For details, see related post.
• Rummikub (11:00 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: Drop-in to the game group for seniors, meeting certain Mondays of each month. For details, see the Senior Center newsletter here.
• Knitting Club & Quilting Club (1:00 pm) @ Southborough Senior Center: Weekly opportunity for senior crafters to work on their projects in a social setting, including knitting, sewing, cross stitching, needle point.
• Library Early Closure (2:00 – 5:00 pm) @ Southborough Library: The library is closing three hours early to allow for staff training.

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

• Preschool Story Time (10:30 – 11:15 am) @ Southborough Library Children’s Room: Ages 2-5 are invited for stories and a craft based on a weekly theme (and sometimes a couple of songs). No registration required. For details, see related post.
• Spicy Ladies Club (11:00 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: A monthly social group for seniors. New members are welcome to drop-in. For details, see related post.
• Bridge (12:00 pm) @ Southborough Senior Center: A weekly card group, welcoming new participants. For details, contact the Senior Center at 508-229-4453.
• 4th & 5th Grade Book Club (4:00 – 5:00 pm) @ Southborough Library, Eaton Room: Monthly Book Club with discussion and activities. Registration is required. For details, see related post.
• Poetry Workshop (6:30 – 8:30 pm) @ Southborough Library, main level: Bring in five copies of original poetry to share. The group will provide supportive feedback. If you don’t have a poem, come anyway and share your insights. (Meets twice monthly.)
• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night (8:00 – 10:00 pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: Weekly Trivia game night with prizes. For details, see dedicated post.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

• Walking Group for Seniors (8:30 am) @ Southborough cemetery, 11 Cordaville Road: Free weekly walking group organized by the Southborough Senior Center. (Dependent on weather conditions.) Walkers generally go for an hour, but continue for as long as you wish. The location is a loop, so feel free to join late.
• American Mah Jongg Meetup (1:00 – 4:00 pm) @ Southborough Library, Main Floor Stacks: Weekly opportunity to play. Drop ins are welcome, but groups of 4 are generally necessary. For details, click here.
• Family Puzzle Race (4:30 – 6:00 pm) @ Southborough Library: Registration is required (and limited) for this competition for younger puzzlers (ages 5+) and their families and friends. For details, see dedicated post.
• Aurora Aesthetics’s Open House (5:00 – 8:00 pm) @ Aurora Aesthetics and Wellness Center
  54 Central St: The business’ 4th annual open house is a Disco themed celebration with bites & cocktails, raffles, and door prizes. For details, see dedicated post.
• ARHS Open House (6:00 – 815pm) @ Algonquin Regional High School: Event for parents/caregivers of students to hear from teachers about what their students will be studying this year/semester. Parents should look for a message with details on following their kids’ schedule.
• Live Blues Jam n’ Open Mic (8:00 – 11:00 pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: Come play or sing with the house band and fellow musical talent, or just enjoy the show. For details, see related post.

Thursday, September 24, 2026

• Baby/Toddler Storytime (11:00 – 11:30 am) @ Southborough Library Children’s Room: A weekly program for ages 0-2 years with their parents/caregivers. Each session will include puppets and music. No registration required. For details, see related post.
• Young Birders (4:30 – 5:30 pm) @ Southborough Library: Registration is required for this free program run by DCR for ages 6–10 years old. This event will cover birding basics like identification, behaviors, and observation. For details, see dedicated post.
• AVRTHS Back to School Night (5:30 – 8:00 pm) @ Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School: Open House for Event for parents of current Assabet students.
• ARHS College Fair (6:00 – 8:00pm) @ Algonquin Regional High School gym: Algonquin’s annual event typically features representatives of 100+ colleges and universities. All ARHS students and parents are welcome.
• Youth Virtual Author Talk (7:00 – 7:30 pm in English, 8:00 – 8:30 pm in Spanish) @ online: Registration is required to take part in the free live talk with Q&A, “Where the Paletero Man Goes: A Journey of Neighborhood, Music, and Art with Lucky Diaz”. This is part of the Southborough Library’s virtual series featuring bestselling, award-winning, and highly acclaimed authors from around the world. For details, see related post.
• Karaoke (9:00 – 11:00 pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: Weekly Karaoke night. For details, see related post.

Friday, September 25, 2026

• Wizards (9:00 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: The spinoff to the Dull Men’s Club meets immediately prior to discuss subjects relating to science and technology. New members are always welcome to drop in. For details, see related post.
• Dull Men’s Club (10:00 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: Casual social club for senior men. New members are always welcome to drop in. For details, see dedicated post.
• Canasta (10:00 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: A weekly card group playing “Hand & Foot”. For details, contact the Senior Center at 508-229-4453.
• American Mah Jongg Meetup (1:00 – 4:00 pm) @ Southborough Library, Main Floor Stacks: Biweekly opportunity. Drop ins are welcome, but groups of 4 are generally necessary to play. For details, see related post.
• Live Music with Tony Soul Project (8:00 – 11:00 pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: The “SoulMan” Anthony Parente and friends will perform. For details, click here.

Saturday, September 26, 2026

• Fresh Monkee Grand Opening (6:00 am – 5:00 pm) @ where: The location opened this summer, but this is it’s Grand Opening Celebration with 50% off all shakes, and chances to win prizes including free shakes for a year. For details, click here.
• Intergenerational Rummikub (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) @ Southborough Senior Center: Pre-registration is required for this free event pairing high school students with seniors to play the popular tile game. For details, see dedicated post.
• Good Neighbor Day Open House (1:00 – 3:00pm) @ Southborough Library: The open house is a friendly social venue with free refreshments where the public can hang out and chat, play games, or even read a book. For details, see dedicated post.
• Live Music (6:30 – 10:00 pm) @ Lalo’s Mexican Kitchen & Bar, 154 Turnpike Rd: The restaurant is promoting live music in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. For details, click here.

Sunday, September 27, 2026

• Rotary Oktoberfest (1:30 – 3:30pm) @ Southborough Gazebo, 19 Main Street: 2nd annual fun-filled afternoon of German-inspired cheer, delicious eats, and community spirit, all while helping a vital local cause. Entertainment includes live music and the Patriots game on the big screen. For details, see dedicated post.
• St. Mark’s Messy Church (4:00 – 6:00 pm) @ St Mark’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 27 Main St: A worship experience for busy families of younger kids. Includes a Bible story theme with activities, crafts, and a shared meal. For details, see related post.

The post Events this week appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: Fayville Hall will reopen with a reception for painter Nan Hass Feldman’s exhibit tomorrow. (images L-R by Beth Melo and from SHAC website)

After a long closure, the Southborough History and Arts Center is scheduled to reopen to the public tomorrow, Saturday, September 19th.

The venue is inviting the public to an Opening Reception for its new art exhibit from 3:00 – 7:00 pm in the Long Gallery.

The event will feature the art of painter Nan Hass Feldman. Feldman’s works will be on display through October 25th. A closing reception, featuring a poetry reading by Alan Feldmen, will take place on Sunday, October 18th from 3:00 – 5:00 pm.

SHAC’s event page for the exhibit “Calling Through the Darkness: Landscapes Real and Imagined” promotes of the artist:

Nan Hass Feldman has been painting over fifty years. In that time she has had fifty-nine solo exhibitions, and has been included in over sixty group shows and twenty-nine museum exhibitions. She has work in private collections in six countries, in corporate collections such as Fidelity Investments, Meditech, and Veryfine Products, and in eighteen hospital collections such as Children’s Hospital, Boston, the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and Cape Cod Hospital, in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Her awards includetwo Frances A. Kinnicut Foreign Traveling Fellowships from the Worcester Art Museum, and the Basil H. Alkazzii Award, a national award for painting. For many years she has taught in the Boston area, including at the Worcester Art Museum, the DeCordova Museum, Danforth Art at Framingham State University, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. From 1999 through 2018 she led painting retreats in France, Greece, Italy, and Mexico, and from 2011 through 2019 ran the Artist’s Loft on the Oceania cruise line on Pacific, Baltic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and South American voyages. Since 2020, when she was diagnosed with a motor neuron illness, multiple system atrophy, cerebellar type, her style has loosened because she has less control. Most of these paintings represent that new style.

You can see examples of her works on the website here.

Temporary Closure and Reopening

The center, run by the Southborough Historical Society had been closed since mid-May after its temporary Certificate of Occupancy expired earlier this spring and was issued an order to Cease and Desist holding events.

The permit lapsed after the Planning Board found that the applicant wasn’t meeting requirements for the parking lot under conditions of its Major Site Plan Approval.

SHS President Michael Weishan claimed the requirements were excessive, and not in keeping with the center’s zoning relief allowed as an educational non-profit under the “Dover Amendment”. He also claimed that once Planning waived the bond requirement for a temporary Certificate of Occupancy, they gave up their standing to weigh in on Occupancy Permits.

SHS appealed the decision by the Building Commissioner with the BCAB (Building Code Appeals Board). In a split decision, the BCAB determined that the applicant is eligible for a permanent Occupancy Permit — but only after the Building Commissioner approves that the facility has completed its requirements for handicapped parking.

The designated space for handicapped parking was paved this week. As of this morning that space was not yet marked. I reached out to Weishan about the status. He informed me that it will be marked tomorrow, “and we have the OK from the inspector”.

SHS is still in the process of appealing the Building Commissioner’s prior decisions with the Zoning Board of Appeals. The August and September hearings were delayed at the request of the applicant. The board continued that to their October 21st meeting.

Other Parking Issues

Weishan and the Town still also need to iron out the designation shared parking for users of Fayville Park across the way. The requirement was included in the deed when the Town sold the property — but the number of spaces and the hours were limited. (In the past, Weishan has also publicly said that he planned to lobby the Select Board to eliminate or reduce the requirement.)

A sign put up by SHS next to the parking lot warns the public:

Friends: This is private property.

Non-SHAC members are limited to available spaces adjacent to Central St. BETWEEN 9-5 DAILY when not required for Center events.

If you’re not sure, don’t park here. This lot is subject to random closure, and violators WILL be towed.

Use at your own risk.

In his message to me today, he noted his concern that issues of “illegal” parking will be worsened if Recreation’s plans go through to add a splash pad and dog park next to the playground in the park. He wrote:

The real question now will be: how do we prevent all the park users from illegally parking in our lot, and how will the planned additions of a splash pad and dog park to an already overused recreational area further complicate resident parking? That rec expansion should go next to the Flagg school, where there is ample space, and ample parking,

The Recreation Commission has acknowledged the parking restraints in the area. Working through that is one of their task before they bring the project to voters. At this week’s Select Board meeting, the board updated that Recreation is also seeking state grant funding for the Fayville Park project. (Which appears to be at least part of the reason the project won’t be on the Warrant for this fall’s Special Town Meeting.)

The post SHAC reopening with Gallery Reception on Saturday appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: Sign up for family friendly puzzle fun at the library. (images edited from flyer)

The Southborough Library is organizing another Puzzle Competition. This time, the event is geared towards families with “younger puzzlers”.

Pre-registration is required (and capped) for next week’s free event.

This time the event is billed as a “Family Puzzle Race”, but not everyone on on the team has to be related. The teams will be comprised of “families and friends” ages 5+.

Each team will be given an identical puzzle to complete. The fastest team wins. (The prize appears to be bragging rights.)

For this event, the puzzle is a 300 piece image of colorful donuts.

The competition is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23rd, from 4:30 – 6:00 pm. 

To register, click here.

The post Family (and Friends) Puzzle Race “for younger puzzlers” — Wednesday appeared first on My Southborough.

A story by the Boston Herald quotes a response from NSBORO Superintendent Gregory Martineau.

The US Dept of Ed’s announcement includes:

These allegations raise serious questions regarding whether the school district complied with federal laws protecting parents’ rights. FERPA requires schools to allow parents to access their children’s education records, make changes to those records, and provide a hearing if the school rejects the changes. PPRA requires schools to receive written consent from parents if they plan to conduct any evaluation, survey, or analysis on students regarding their or their family’s mental health, sex behaviors and attitudes, religious beliefs or any other invasive sensitive subjects outlined in the statute. It is currently unclear whether the school and the district complied with these federal statutes, and SPPO will investigate to determine whether there has been a violation under FERPA and/or PPRA.

“Parents have a right to know what is happening with their children at school, particularly when it concerns deeply personal matters involving their health and well-being,” said Frank Miller, Director of the Student Privacy Policy Office. “These egregious allegations are not an isolated problem. Families deserve answers and SPPO will thoroughly investigate reports like this and hold any educational institution that violates federal law accountable.”

The Boston Herald’s story states:

The school district says it’s aware of the federal probe, releasing a statement Thursday saying it “welcomes and will cooperate fully with any authority investigating this matter.”

“The Northborough-Southborough Regional School District is aware of the announcement by the U.S. Department of Education. It welcomes and will cooperate fully with any authority investigating this matter and appreciates the opportunity to provide a complete factual record surrounding the allegations referenced in media interviews by two individuals whose child formerly attended Algonquin Regional High School,” said Superintendent Gregory Martineau.

“The District has already unequivocally denied the referenced allegations and stands by the statement and the actions of educators and administrators,” he said.

As I previously reported, the school hasn’t responded to my question about the district’s policy or guidance they follow when a teen asks to keep parents in the dark on their request to be identified by a different gender. But a report by WBUR yesterday stated that keeping that confidential is legal in Massachusetts and linked to a document by the Mass Dept of Education that includes the following guidance on “Gender Transition”:

Some transgender and gender nonconforming students are not openly so at home for reasons such as safety concerns or lack of acceptance. School personnel should speak with the student first before discussing a student’s gender nonconformity or transgender status with the student’s parent or guardian. For the same reasons, school personnel should discuss with the student how the school should refer to the student, e.g., appropriate pronoun use, in written communication to the student’s parent or guardian.

The WBUR story also highlighted that confidentiality from parents by another school were supported by federal courts.

As I previously posted, the parents’ story made national headlines based not only on their accusations about the school’s role in the child’s transition, but also legal battle to stop DCF (Dept of Children & Families) from medically transitioning their 17 year old to a different gender. The parents also publicly claimed their child is being kept from them based on their religious beliefs.

The family’s story has been complicated as records show that DCF took the child into custody based on reports of physical abuse and subsequent court orders and restraining orders received by the teen.

Despite acknowledging in a podcast interview that there were claims of abuse, attorney Vernadette Broyles, (president and general counsel of the Child and Parental Rights Campaign) claimed that an ARHS counselor:

reported this family to DCF, we understand because they knew this Catholic family would not affirm the falsehood that their daughter was a boy

The story by WBUR provides more details on the father’s arrest for allegedly punching the child (who was 15 at the time), pulling their hair, and making physical threats. The article also included the police report on the case of the mother for alleged witness intimidation. You can read that story, which links to the police reports here.

Broyles publicly characterizes the charges against parents Joseph and Arlene Kutzko as having found by the juvenile court to be unfounded. She stated that the couple only agreed to a pretrial probation due to the high legal costs they had incurred.

DCF isn’t publicly commenting on that or the case specifics and some court details are sealed due to the involvement of a minor. But WBUR writes of the agreement reached with the parents:

a judge committed to dismissing the charges against Joseph Kutzko if he met certain conditions, including taking an anger management class, staying away from his child and abiding by a restraining order. Arlene Kutzko also agreed to stay away from the victim and abide by a restraining order. The conditions for both parents remain in place until this December.

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As I previously posted, a Southborough resident is organizing and promoting a Town Wide Yard Sale to take place the first weekend in October.

Since the registration deadline is coming up in a week, I’m reminding readers who may have been tuned out over the summer.

Registration fees for participating will benefit the Southborough Food Pantry.

Residents can sign up to have their properties added to the list of addresses that will be publicized as holding a yard sale from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, October 3rd and/or Sunday, October 4th.

To participate, register by Friday, September 25th.

The registration fee is $10 for one day or $15 for both. To be listed, Venmo your payment @Tricia-Kalagher. Include in the memo line the address, your email address, and the day(s) you would like to be listed.

In advance of the event the listing of addresses will be shared via Facebook and Instagram and local yard sale websites. The list will also be shareable so participants can post it to their own groups and pages.

The event is organized by Tricia Kalagher. I asked what inspired her. She explained that she likes to encourage reuse for environmental reasons. She hopes people will be able to sell items that might otherwise get dropped at the Transfer Station’s Swap Shop, then potentially end up in its trash hopper.

The post Sign up by next Friday to be part of a “Town Wide Yard Sale” appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: This home at 7 Tara Road went on the market this week for $889,000 (MLS photo)

Here’s what went on and off the market this week. Thanks to Gail DuBois (email) of William Raveis Real Estate for supplying the town’s new listing information for the week.*

New on the market

• 7 Tara Road (map) – 8 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial, Garrison – $889,000
• 8 Southwood Dr, Unit 8 (map) – 8 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial – $949,900
• 147 Woodland Road (map) – 6 room, 3 bed, 3f 0h bath Ranch – $999,900
• 5 Southwood Dr, Unit 50 (map) – 11 room, 4 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial – $1,050,000

Sale pending

• 122 Deerfoot Road (map) – 8 room, 4 bed, 3f 0h bath Colonial – 121 days on the Market, Listed at $875,000
• 26 Wildwood Drive (map) – 10 room, 3 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial – 21 days on the Market, Listed at $1,099,900

Sold*

• 162 Main Street (map) – 9 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial, Farmhouse – 34 days on the Market, Listed at $975,000, Sold at $940,000
• 8 Bantry Road (map) – 9 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial, Garrison – 21 days on the Market, Listed at $999,900, Sold at $1,015,000

*Listings for the week are based on data pulled from MLS on Thursday mornings. Occasionally, that includes “sold” info that isn’t captured by MLS until a week (or more) following the sale. [Listings don’t include houses that weren’t publicly listed through MLS.]

The post On the market this week in Southborough appeared first on My Southborough.