2025 Annual Town Meeting Recap

Town Officials on stage during Andover's 2025 Annual Town Meeting

Annual Town Meeting convened at the Collins Center for the Performing Arts at Andover High School for two nights on April 29 and April 30. Town Meeting considered and acted on the 35 articles on the warrant.

Notable actions taken by Town Meeting during the first evening of deliberations included approval of the FY 2026 budget recommendation and approval of four articles authorizing capital expenditures for  FY 2026. Town Meeting also approved new regulations regarding accessory dwelling units (ADUs), authorized the acquisition of 0 Essex Street to enable roadway improvements along the Essex Street Corridor, and approved a resident-petitioned article that increased the signature threshold for residents to petition for a Special Town Meeting and extended the time period for the Select Board to call a Special Town Meeting after receiving a petition. To go into effect, the latter article will require the state legislature's approval of a home rule petition.

During the second evening of Town Meeting, voters approved an article establishing the Central Street Historic District, and voted to disapprove a resident-petitioned article seeking to repeal the Ballardvale Historic District. Town Meeting also adopted the Specialized Energy Code, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new residential and commercial buildings over 1,000 square feet.

Annual Town Meeting is a significant undertaking that requires the collaboration, expertise, and dedication of many individuals across Town departments and boards and committee. The successful execution of this important civic event would not be possible without the hard work of those who planned, prepared, and facilitated every aspect of the Meeting—from warrant preparation and logistics coordination to technical support and on-site administration. This year’s smooth, transparent, and productive Annual Town Meeting is a credit to the work of employees, elected and appointed officials, and poll workers who contributed their time and talent to the operation.

Click here to view official results from the 2025 Annual Town Meeting >

Here's a closer look at some of the notable measures approved by Annual Town Meeting:

FY 2026 Budget and Capital Articles
Town Meeting voted to approve Article 4, the Town of Andover’s operating budget for FY 2026. The FY 2026 budget totals $253,311,566, which represents an increase of $7,104,263 or 2.95% over the FY 2025 budget. The Town Manager’s full budget recommendation was released in February and was reviewed extensively during public meetings prior to Town Meeting’s vote on it. The full recommendation can be viewed online.

Town Meeting voted to approve a series of four articles authorizing capital expenditures totaling $21,298,528 from four sources: the capital projects fund, general fund borrowing, free cash, and the water and sewer enterprise funds. Capital improvements that will be supported through this plan are outlined in the Capital Improvement Program for FY2026-FY2030, which was released in November.

Acquisition of 0 Essex Street
Town Meeting approved an article authorizing the Town of acquire a 0.2 acre parcel of land located at 0 Essex Street (between Ridge Street and School Street) that is owned by the Archiocese of Boston. The parcel is necessary to enable the Town to undertake a significant roadway improvement project.

In 2023, the Town received a $3.3 MassWorks Infrastructure grant to support improvements along the Essex Street corridor. This project will include realignments of key intersections and other roadway and sidewalk improvements that are anticipated to significantly improve vehicular and pedestrian safety in the corridor. In the process of planning for this project, the Town determined that the boundaries of the parcel at 0 Essex Street extend into the roadway, making its acquisition necessary to move forward with the project.  The Town owns an abutting parcel at 3 Essex Street. By acquiring 0 Essex, a conforming lot will be created through the combining of these two parcels.

The article appropriated $375,000 for the acquisition. This appropriation was funded through the reallocation of unexpended Capital Funds previously appropriated by Town Meeting, plus an additional appropriation of $83,783.53 in free cash.

Special Town Meeting Requirements 
Town Meeting voted to approve a home rule petition that would change requirements around the calling of a resident-petitioned special town meeting. This article was a private warrant article petitioned by resident Christian Huntress.

Currently, under Massachusetts General, petitioning for a special town meeting in Andover requires the submission of 200 hundred signatures of registered voters. Once a sufficient petition is received, the Select Board must call a special town meeting within 45 days – a limited timeframe given the logistics associated with holding a town meeting.

This article proposes to increase the requirement to 5 percent of all registered voters in the Town of Andover, which is approximately 1,350 signatures based on current voter enrollment. Additionally, the Select Board would have 90 days to call a special town meeting after receiving a petition. Notably, this proposal would not impact the Select Board’s ability to call a special town meeting at any time should a time sensitive matter arise.

This article authorized the filing of a home rule petition and will therefore require approval by the state legislature in order to take effect.

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Regulations
Town Meeting approved an article to amend the Zoning Bylaw to establish regulations on the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). In 2024, a state law known as the Affordable Homes Act was enacted which allows accessory dwelling units (ADUs) up to 900 sq. ft. to be built by right in single-family zoning districts across Massachusetts.

ADUs are self-contained housing units on the same lot as a principal dwelling and can be either attached or detached. ADUs provide additional living spaces that accommodate sleeping, cooking, and sanitary facilities.

The Act allows communities to establish reasonable restrictions and requirements on the construction of ADUs through their Zoning Bylaw. In response, Article 22 proposes the following regulations on ADUs in Andover:

  • ADU applications are subject to Site Plan Review by the Zoning Board of Appeals or its designee.
  • Each lot can only have one ADU.
  • Principal structures must be completed before an ADU may be built.
  • ADUs must follow all zoning rules for the area, including limits on setbacks and height.
  • ADUs may not be used as short-term rentals.
  • ADUs may not be converted to condominiums.
  • ADUs farther than ½ a mile from public transit need at least one off-street parking space, unless the Site Plan Review determines there is enough existing parking.

Central Street Historic District
Town Meeting approved an article to establish the Central Street Historic District. The newly-established Historic District is intended to protect and preserve the historic character of Central Street, which is home to some of Andover’s oldest and most historically significant structures. The District encompasses 39 properties along Upper Central Street, including private residences, commercial buildings, and places of worship.

Under the bylaw adopted by Town Meeting, the Commission will have the authority to review certain activities on properties within the district. This includes new construction, demolition, relocation, additions, and certain exterior alterations such as changes to roofing materials, siding and trim, and windows and doors. The bylaw exempts from review a host of other features, such as storm doors, permanent signage, driveways and walkways, fences, paint color, and solar panels, among others. The bylaw takes a narrow approach that preserves owners’ rights to the greatest extent allowed under State law.

The adoption of this article marks the culmination of an extensive process begun by the Central Street Historic District Study Committee during the summer of 2024, prompted by a community-led effort to prevent the demolition of a historic home on Central Street.  

Specialized Energy Code
Town Meeting approved an article to adopt the Massachusetts Opt-In Specialized Energy Code, a bylaw amendment designed to align new building construction in Andover with the Commonwealth’s greenhouse gas emissions limits. Developed by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources in 2023, the Specialized Code introduces enhanced energy performance standards for new residential and commercial buildings over 1,000 square feet.

Unlike the base and stretch energy codes, the Specialized Code targets zero-emissions construction by requiring higher performance standards such as Home Energy Rating System (HERS) scores and Passive House (PH) certification. These requirements support energy efficiency, long-term sustainability, and readiness for future electrification. Notably, the code does not ban the use of natural gas but encourages design choices that reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Existing buildings, large additions, historic structures, and specialized facilities such as laboratories and warehouses are not subject to the Specialized Code and will continue to follow the existing Stretch Code.

Andover joins 48 other communities across Massachusetts that have adopted this code to advance local climate goals. The Town has already seen the positive impacts of high-performance, all-electric construction through projects like the new West Elementary School, which serves as a model for future development under this new standard.

Click here to view official results from the 2025 Annual Town Meeting >