Town Meeting voters on Monday approved a bylaw that tightens regulations on signs, and separately funded parking kiosks, a water taxi for boaters, and a design for an "outdoor classroom" adjacent to the library.

Additionally, town committee members will still be able to attend meetings remotely, after voters denied citizens' efforts to revoke the Selectmen's policy that allows the same. Town attorney Rich Bowen explained that the Attorney General's office will not allow Town Meeting to revoke a policy set by the Selectmen.

The meeting wrapped up with little debate in about two hours -- which may have had something to do with a certain baseball team in the World Series.

Sign bylaw

The new sign bylaw clearly defines what kinds of signs are allowed where, how big they're allowed to be, in what manner they are allowed to be illuminated, among other things.

The goals outlined in the bylaw are: To reduce potential distractions and obstructions of signs that would adversely affect traffic safety; To discourage excessive visual competition in signage; To preserve and enhance the character of the town.

The Planning Board created the bylaw after receiving a number of complaints about signs that it couldn't enforce under the old bylaw, explained Selectman Alan Slavin, who serves as Board of Selectmen liaison to the Planning Board.

The bylaw "should be "comprehensive and covers every aspect of the sign," Slavin noted.

Mary Scarsciotti, who has served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for 10 years, spoke in support of the bylaw.

"We constantly have problems with signs. What we don't want to end up with is the look of Route 1 in Saugus or Route 9 in Framingham or Las Vegas," she said. "Cranberry Highway is being assaulted right now. ... The Town of Wareham deserves to have a sign bylaw that we can enforce."

But some residents worried that the bylaw would hurt small businesses.

"I voted against [supporting the bylaw] because the bylaw that we presently have in place has never really been enforced and I think, if it had been enforced, people would have been happy with what's out there," Selectman Patrick Tropeano said, arguing that the bylaws would harm small businesses who would have to ensure compliance with the bylaw. "I don't know why we should burden these folks with more regulations."

The bylaw passed by a 2/3 vote.

"I think this is not anti-business. I think this is pro-aesthetics," said Cliff Sylvia, a precinct 1 resident and member of the School Committee. "This town has been littered for years by these signs. ... I think it's about time we let Wareham be as beautiful as it actually is."

Parking kiosks

New parking kiosks installed at the Onset Pier and the parking lot adjacent to Union Avenue in the village brought in more than $57,500 from July to October, and town officials are eager to install more to increase revenue.

Voters approved the use of $5,000 to expand the program.

"We feel this program has been a success," said Town Administrator Derek Sullivan.

Sullivan noted that if the town waited until spring Town Meeting to approve the funds, potential new kiosks would not be able to be installed in time for the summer rush.

Water taxi, assistant harbormaster

Voters unanimously approved $38,000 that will establish a boat launch, or water taxi, in Onset Bay. The launch will transport boaters to and from their anchored or moored boats.

"We're running out of dock space on the Pier. ... This is providing a safe transit for people to come into shore, come into town," said Harbormaster Garry Buckminster, noting that some boaters will turn away when they cannot find a place to moor or dock their vessel or will simply anchor overnight and leave. "We're trying to get people to come here."

The start-up costs will be paid by the money generated through fees paid by boaters, Buckminster said. Boaters will pay a fee -- around $4 -- for each one-way trip.

Voters also OK'd the creation of a new, full-time assistant harbormaster position. Currently, the department has two full-time harbormasters -- one of whom is Buckminster. The Harbormaster Department will pay for the employee's salary and benefit costs.

Town Meeting also approved: New signage for waterways access, two new docks for Besse Park in downtown Wareham, and new docks for Tempest Knob boat ramp.

Outdoor play area

Town Meeting approved the use of $7,500 in Community Preservation funds to pay for the design of a Nature Explore outdoor classroom and play area, to be located adjacent to the Wareham Free Library.

Nature Explore is a collaborative effort of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, which design nature-based outdoor spaces for use by children and communities at large.

The outdoor spaces have distinct components: A place for music and movement, a water area, a storage area, a sand area, an open area, quiet space, a climbing/crawling area, a garden and pathway, and a "messy materials" area.

"Our design will be based on the needs of the community," Bethany Gay, the proponent of the proposal, told voters.

Gay serves on the Wareham Free Library Board of Trustees, but explained that the library budget will not be affected by the play area. She plans to get a committee of stakeholders together to give input into the design and then pursue grant funding to pay for the build.

Community Preservation funding is generated by a 3% property tax surcharge. The funds can only be used for recreation, affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space projects.

Flood maps

Voters adopted new flood maps without incident. The maps would have gone into effect early next year if Town Meeting voted not to accept the maps, and that could have caused headaches for officials: The Federal Emergency Management Agency was prepared to withhold local storm aid and other programs.

Zoning of marijuana treatment centers

If any marijuana treatment centers are approved in Wareham, they will have to be located in the town's "institutional zone."

The town placed a moratorium on medical marijuana treatment centers last spring. It will expire in the spring of 2014. The moratorium was established while officials waited for the state Department of Public Health to determine how to regulate the treatment centers, after Massachusetts voters approved a ballot question in 2012 that legalized the prescription of marijuana by physicians for medical purposes.

The institutional zone largely includes the area around Tobey Hospital, underscoring the goal of housing such centers near other medical facilities. It also stretches toward High Street and down Marion Road.

Multi-Service Center roof repair

The roof on the town's Multi-Service Center will be repaired with $110,000 of Community Preservation funding.

The building is a historic building, which is one of the purposes for which Community Preservation funding can be used. The money is generated by a 3% property tax surcharge. The funds can only be used for recreation, affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space projects.