Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Belmont’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They approve new development, hear zoning appeals, protect wetlands and open space from Rock Meadow to Clay Pit Pond, and dig through the budget line by line before Town Meeting votes it. They are the rooms where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision.
Most members are appointed by the Select Board or the Town Moderator and serve fixed terms. The meetings are public, and seats open up regularly.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and major development.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Belmont’s wetlands and open space, from Rock Meadow to the Western Greenway.
- Warrant Committee examines the budget and advises Town Meeting on spending.
- Capital Budget Committee weighs the town’s big purchases and building projects.
- Recreation Commission guides the parks, fields, and programs run by the Recreation Department.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see belmont-ma.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s vacancies and volunteer page at belmont-ma.gov.
- Submit a volunteer application through the Town Administrator’s Office at Town Hall.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment.
- Serve: attend the public meetings and help make decisions for your town.
Serving on a board is one of the most direct ways to shape Belmont.