Milton Planning Board Advances Sign Bylaw Revisions Before March 26 Public Hearing

Planning Board · Meeting of March 12, 2026

Milton Planning Board challenges Select Board's $55,000 economic development study as sign bylaw heads to public hearing. At the March 12 meeting, Chair Meredith Hall and members questioned why the Select Board moved to allocate $55,000 to a newly forming master plan implementation committee for an economic feasibility study with consultant Judy Barrett's firm, arguing the planning board had initiated similar work with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council in 2024, spending roughly $14,000 before grant funding was pulled. Member Sean Fahy cited town administrator figures showing Milton's commercial property generated only about $3,072,000, 3 percent, of the town's $101,939,000 fiscal year 2025 tax levy, calling expanded commercial revenue "a fool's errand." On sign bylaw revisions ahead of a March 26 public hearing, the board reached working consensus on key changes: capping interior temporary sale signs at 180 days per calendar year and exterior temporary signs at 90 days, removing fine dollar amounts from the bylaw in favor of a permit-attached schedule, and routing sandwich board permit approvals through the Department of Public Works rather than the town administrator.

Town counsel Carolyn Murray's written guidance shaped much of the sign discussion, and members directed Manning to finalize language with Murray before the public hearing.

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Source: the Planning Board meeting of March 12, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.