Winchester Select Board Sets Building Fees at $18 per Thousand, Launches Parking Pilot

WINCHESTER — February 23, 2026 — Winchester Select Board raises building permit fees and adopts overnight parking pilot during blizzard Zoom session. Meeting remotely on February 23 after a major storm, the board voted 4-1 to set both residential and commercial building permit fees at $18 per $1,000 of construction value, effective April 1, 2026, up from $16 per $1,000 for residential work. Building Commissioner Tom Kennedy estimated the residential rate increase alone would yield roughly $88,000 in new annual revenue, and benchmarked the new rate as consistent with comparable communities — below Arlington's $20 per $1,000 but above Lexington's and Andover's current levels. Member Bill McGonigal cast the lone dissenting vote, citing state-law requirements for a tight connection between permit fees and building department costs. The board also unanimously adopted the 2026 outdoor dining policy with an application deadline of March 20 at noon, and approved an overnight parking pilot covering a town center area bounded roughly by Main Street, Skillings Road, Mount Vernon Street, and Waterfield Road, set to launch March 1.