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12-05-2021 1:25am
Planning Board Determines Top 2 Locations for Siting Multi-family Housing District
Darlene Cancell
Editor
In its meeting last week, after months of reviewing how to comply with the state’s Housing Choice Law enacted in January this year, Planning Board members have decided to seek the state’s feedback on two possible locations for siting a multi-family housing district “as of right” in Westwood within half a mile of a commuter rail or bus station, as required by state law.
The two locations are: (1) an area around the parking area of the Gables University Station apartments and (2) 22 Everett Street, a two-parcel lot of 6.7 acres referred to the “Tumblebus location,” due to its current use as a parking lot for Tumblebus.
An uncertainty faced by the Board, however, is the lack of guidance from the state on what constitutes a “bus station.” Planning Board members have wondered over the last half-year whether bus stops along Washington Street would satisfy the requirement that the district be within half-mile of a bus or train station. If bus stops fall under the definition of "bus stations," more acreage for locating the new district could open up. If bus stops are not included in the definition of “bus station,” only a portion of the Tumblebus lot would qualify as a potential site for the new district.
Additional guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development is expected by mid-December. Towns have been invited to submit draft proposals for complying with the law to the Department.
Director of Community and Economic Development Nora Loughnane noted that submitting a draft early to DHCD could potentially help shape its forthcoming guidance, and Town Counsel Patrick Ahearn recommended that Planning Board do so.
Town Planner Abby McCabe explained the process the Board could expect to take. The Board could submit a list of proposed articles and open the warrant this December. It could close the warrant in early January. Public hearings would be held in February and/or March, in advance of presenting the proposed amendments at Town Meeting in May.
Planning Board Secretary Kate Wynne reiterated her concern, several times over the course of the meeting, that Westwood need not offer up all of its potential sites for multi-family housing as of right zoning. She stated her preference for a tiered approach. The town should propose a portion of its available land for the district she said. If more acreage is needed to satisfy the requirement, additional acreage can be discussed as a next tiered step of the planning process.
“Just because a place is appropriate doesn’t mean we should offer it up right now,” said Ms. Wynne.
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Much of Planning Board’s meeting involved applying a scoring sheet to the properties under consideration. The scoring sheet sets forth factors to consider the desirability of a location for potential inclusion in a multi-family housing as of right district. It includes categories such as whether the land is currently available, acreage size, whether infrastructure improvements are needed, restrictions on development, environmental hazards, whether the location would promote development of a village center, mixed use potential, proximity to transportation, sidewalks and biking, whether it offers residential desirability, parking, positive neighborhood reception, financial implications to tax collection, and other factors.
Board members assigned positive or negative points to each category on the scoring sheet as Planning Board discussed pros and cons of the two properties. Tumblebus scored an approximate 125 to the roughly 95 points scored by Gables, making the Tumblebus location more desirable of the two locations, at least from a scoring perspective.
Other areas that have been under consideration include a 7-acre state-owned property close to Islington train station and the area of 326 and 350 Blue Hills Drive and 213 Whitewood Road.
Planning Board noted it had moved away from these properties as top locations for siting the new district in a past meeting. Chair Christopher Pfaff wondered if the Board should apply the long list of scoring categories to a discussion of these properties. After some discussion, the Board unanimously agreed to table discussion of other properties until there is a need to revisit them.
In answer to a viewer’s emailed question of why two properties are being looked at instead of “starting small,” Mr. Pfaff noted that there is a feeling of equity in putting forth both locations through the consideration process, together. Another reason he gave is the fear that the state may view one property alone as insufficient in size.
Mr. Pfaff also noted that simply creating the new multi-family housing as of right district does not mean multi-family housing will, in fact, appear. That decision is up to developers, but the town’s responsibility is to create the opportunity.
Ms. Loughnane added that the Gables property is currently land that is in its highest use right now and is unlikely to be used otherwise. However, by redefining the zoning of the area to allow multi-family as of right housing, the Town of Westwood can “take credit” for existing multi-family housing that is currently there.
There was some discussion also about starter homes and finding ways to include an affordability requirement in the new zoning that is established. The push for starter homes was especially championed by Planning Board member Ms. Ellen Larkin Rollings.
Mr. Pfaff stated that the idea of encouraging starter homes in Westwood is a good one, but he observed that land prices in Westwood may make it a hard task for developers. A developer may not consider it profitable enough to build twenty-four houses on twelve acres in Westwood due to land prices, he said.
Moving to another topic, Ms. McCabe noted that the state Attorney General has approved all zoning amendments passed by the Town in May’s Town meeting. She stated her intention to update the zoning bylaw on the town’s website and distribute a new 2021 electronic version.
Additionally, discussion related to demolition and construction related to the planned Deerfield-Hanlon elementary school was continued to the next Planning Board meeting on December 14, 2021.
