Zoning Board Approves Five Petitions, Splits Twice on Electric Fence
Zoning Board · Meeting of September 9, 2026
Brockton Zoning Board splits 4-1 twice over an electric security fence abutting a school. The board voted twice, 4-1 with member James Sweeney dissenting both times, to grant Amarok LLC special permits and variances for a 10-foot, roughly 7,000-volt low-voltage security system installed behind chain-link fencing at HERC Rentals yards on Main Street, overturning a June 22, 2026, cease-and-desist order. Attorney Jeff Fugino argued the system, protecting equipment estimated at $6 million, isn't a regulated "structure"; Zoning Enforcement Officer William Forte disagreed but said the board's approval effectively voids the violation.
Representative Michelle Affronti said the pulse "stings" but is "medically safe." Sweeney pressed unsuccessfully for landscaping buffers, citing the system's proximity to a school. Separately, the board unanimously approved a variance letting Ricky DeSilva demolish a dilapidated Dunbar Street house for two new homes, an addition and restaurant re-establishment at 261 Belmont Street, and a closer-set pylon sign at 855 Main Street.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,545 words
Source: the Zoning Board meeting of September 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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