Rockport Special Town Meeting

Rockport held a Special Town Meeting on January 19th, which started late and concluded early because of a lack of a quorum. In all 6 articles were approved, after almost a dozen article changes were proposed by attendees.

Please see a summary of each article that was voted on and the voting results:

• Article A: To see if the town will pay the unpaid bills from last fiscal year (Passed)
• Article B: To raise and appropriate money to add to the sum of money to appropriations made under Articles 5, 5A, 6, 6A, and 6B from last year’ Spring Town Meeting (Passed)
• Article D: To reorganize and renumber the zoning bylaws (Passed with 90% of the vote)
• Article E: Change the purpose section of “Section 1. Purpose and Basic Requirements” to have a more up to date preamble. (Failed 101 against to 60 in favor)
• Article F: Update the definitions of inn in town (Passed with 83% of the vote after 6 proposed amendments were voted down)
• Article G: Renumber of the bylaw section dealing with non-conforming buildings and uses, and removal of language relating to a “cottage colony” (Passed with 95% of the vote)
• Article H: Minor changes to bylaw section that establishes Rockport’s various zoning district (Passed with 88% of the vote)
• Article I: Clarifies Special Permit Granting Authority in various circumstances, and allows new town homes and multiple up dwelling up to 4 units by Special Permit in the R District (Failed 69 against to 68 in favor, needed 2/3 majority)

After the Article I vote, a resident challenged whether a quorum still existed, and it was determined that the meeting did not meet the necessary quorum and was disbanded. The remaining articles will be taken up at the annual Town Meeting which typically takes place in early April.