Douglas Master Plan Committee Hears Right-to-Farm Petition Ahead of November Town Meeting

DOUGLAS — October 29, 2025 — Douglas's Master Plan Committee reviewed a citizen's right-to-farm petition and heard land use planning recommendations at its October 29 meeting. Lori Colbert and Dallas Keeney presented two citizen's petition articles — a right-to-farm bylaw and an agricultural commission — headed for a November 17 special town meeting vote, telling the committee the effort arose in response to proposed Board of Health animal regulations that advocates called unnecessarily restrictive. The petitioners collected more than 400 signatures and said the bylaw "enshrines" existing farming freedoms without creating new ones or imposing any cost on the town. Committee member Michael Zorka questioned whether it was equitable for the town administrator to route a citizen's petition through town counsel when other petitioners receive no such review; Town Planner John Sharpe acknowledged the question but had no answer, suggesting it be directed to the administrator. CMRPC planner Gabe Trevor then walked the committee through draft key findings for the land use chapter, flagging a significant error in the town's zoning map — large tracts shown as industrial in the northwest corner of town are now state forest — and recommending a comprehensive zoning bylaw rewrite as a top action item. The committee also formed an informal streetscape subcommittee to pursue a no-cost introductory meeting with Heather Gould of BSC Group in Worcester to begin exploring downtown pedestrian connectivity, signage, and design options.