Fairhaven Town Meeting voters said 'no' to simplifying accessory dwelling units.

FAIRHAVEN — Town Meeting voters on Saturday rejected — among other zoning articles — motions that would have made it easier to create accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, on properties in town; and approved the town budget for the coming fiscal year.

The first motion of Article 20 — broken up into a total of nine motions for all of its separate parts — asked Town Meeting to approve a bylaw change that would have allowed construction of ADUs within existing structures in town without expanding building footprints without a special permit from the Planning Board. As explained by Planning Board officials, the intent was to streamline the process for petitioners. After lengthy debate, with a number of speakers advocating for and against approval, Town Meeting rejected the motion.

Another measure under Article 20 that generated much debate before being voted down was to allow construction of docks and piers without a special permit.

Article 25, a citizens' petition article that would have reversed last year's Town Meeting decision to ban alcohol "nip" bottles from being sold in town, was rejected over the protest of speakers who advocated for it, citing harm to liquor store businesses and residents' ability to buy nips from neighboring communities.

Fairhaven Town Meeting voters passed all articles that comprised the town's total FY25 budget of $60,196,998.

To watch Fairhaven's Town Meeting in full, visit vimeo.com/942713189.

For background: Fairhaven Town Meeting could make it easier to construct 'in-law apartments' in town.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Fairhaven Town Meeting sets FY2025 budget