East Bridgewater Counsel Flags Legal Limits on Surveillance Bylaw, Urges Data Center Action at Oct. 7 Town Meeting
East Bridgewater officials are preparing for an Oct. 7 town meeting vote on a proposed bylaw prohibiting data centers. Town counsel warned that the Planning Board has not recommended the measure and that waiting until the spring meeting could leave the town without data center zoning protections for nearly a year.
East Bridgewater Town Counsel John Clifford told the Select Board that a proposed zoning bylaw prohibiting data centers will require a two-thirds majority at the Oct. 7 special town meeting. The Planning Board has not recommended the current version and may present an alternative at a future meeting, while residents are seeking stronger restrictions and disputing how the board handled the proposal.
Clifford urged voters to act on the bylaw rather than wait until the spring, noting that the Massachusetts governor's executive order places limits on data centers but requires municipal approval. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said several Massachusetts communities have recently adopted data center zoning bylaws. The meeting will also consider a separate surveillance technology bylaw, although the town has already decided to discontinue its camera system.