Town Meeting sent two zoning amendments to further study to fine tune the extent of the amended district, the first at the request of the voters, the second at the request of the zoning board.  

The articles were proposed by the Planning Board to further restrict the zoning on Cranberry Highway in West Wareham near the Rochester border. The changes  were voted to further study at the April 2006 Town Meeting, but the Planning Board wanted to revisit the article in light of proposed commercial plaza development at the R.F. Morse property in Rochester.  

Nevertheless, confusion over the description of the amended district as well as the included parcels doomed the proposal this year as it had in the past.

“This is identical to the one brought before Town Meeting three or four years ago, my criticism now is the same as my criticism then,” said Charlie Rowley. “To come back without any changes whatsoever” suggests we still “need to do a little homework.”

Planning Board Chair George Barrett argued that, while the proposal wasn’t perfect, it would prevent development similar to that which has caused complaints about Cranberry Highway.

“The only reason we’re moving forward with [the proposal] is to have something in place should development start on the other side of the road,” said Barrett.

The planning board unanimously voted previously to send the second amendment to further study before Town Meeting.