RESOLVE PROVIDING FOR AN INVESTIGATION AND STUDY BY A SPECIAL COMMISSION ON THE REUSE OF WESTBOROUGH STATE HOSPITAL.
Resolved, That a special commission shall consist of the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance or his designee who shall serve as chair; the secretary of housing and economic development or his designee; the commissioner of mental health or his designee; the commissioner of youth services or his designee; the commissioner of fish and game or his designee; the commissioner of agricultural resources or his designee; a representative of the Massachusetts historical commission; a representative of the department of highways; 3 representatives of the town of Westborough, who shall be members of the Westborough board of selectmen or their designees; 3 representatives of the town of Northborough, who shall be members of the Northborough board of selectmen or their designees; and a representative of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission. The members of the senate and house of representatives who represent the towns of Westborough and Northborough and a representative of the 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership shall serve as nonvoting, ex-officio members. Reuse of all or a portion of Westborough State Hospital that is determined, pursuant to chapter 7 of the General Laws, to be surplus after patients of the department of mental health are transferred from Westborough State Hospital.
The commission shall: (1) review existing municipal comprehensive plans and zoning; (2) consider state, regional and local plans and policies that might affect or guide use of surplus portions of the hospital including, without limitation, plans and policies encouraging the development of a variety of housing options, jobs and open space and policies encouraging smart growth; (3) solicit public input on potential uses of surplus portions of the hospital; (4) provide information and analysis regarding the aforementioned matters to the towns of Westborough and Northborough as may be requested, to the extent funding for the provision of such information and analysis is available; (5) work with the planning boards and boards of selectmen of the towns of Westborough and Northborough in a cooperative planning process to identify any appropriate zoning changes and to develop and bring proposals for such changes for town meeting approval; (6) consider potential municipal uses or needs in relation to any portions of the hospital that may be surplused; and (7) hold its initial meeting not later than 45 days after the effective date of this resolve; and (8) submit a written report and recommendation to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance on potential reuses of and appropriate restrictions upon surplus portions of the hospital not later than 1 year after the determination, pursuant to chapter 7 of the General Laws, that all or a portion of Westborough State Hospital is surplus property. The commission shall be subject to sections 11A and 11A½ of chapter 30A of the General Laws.
Approved April 9, 2010.