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2-16-2022 12:46am
Select Board to Dispute State's Draft Guidance on Multi-Family Housing District
Darlene Cancell
Editor
Below are highlights from Select Board's meeting last week on February 7, 2022. The discussion includes:
- Plans to file comments disputing aspects of state guidance on how Westwood should establish a new multi-family housing district by-right;
- Going forward with a traffic analysis to buttress a petition to Massachusetts Department of Transportation to lower speed limits along Clapboardtree and Pond streets;
- Taking ownership of portions of the former Westwood Lodge property;
- Strategizing the disposition of Hale Education property.
Designing a New, Multi-Family Housing By-Right District
Town Planner Abby McCabe presented an overview of Planning Board's proposed amendments to the town’s zoning bylaws that would create more multi-family housing, in accordance with state law. Select Board discussed a number of concerning issues.
Under the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development's Draft Compliance Guidelines for Multi-Family Districts, the minimum size of land area deemed reasonable to form the new, required multi-family housing district is at least 50 acres of land, of which no portion should be less than 5 contiguous acres.
Westwood's designation as a bus service community has the associated obligation of ensuring that 20 percent of Westwood's housing stock is comprised of multi-family units. Select Board discussed with Town Counsel Pat Ahearn its intent to file comments with DHCD to clarify that Westwood has two train stations and is near a third station in Dedham. Select Board observed that Westwood should be designated a commuter rail community instead of a bus service community. The obligation for a commuter rail community is that 15 percent of total housing stock must be multi-family.
Select Board indicated its intent to dispute what DHCD currently deems is a reasonable size for the state-mandated multi-family housing district. Under DHCD’s Draft Compliance Guidelines, the new multi-family district must be at least 50 total acres. Planning Board’s current proposal to comply with the state’s multi-family housing requirement is only 16 acres.
Town Counsel noted the lack of open acres or undeveloped land in Westwood that could fit DHCD's current size requirement, except for land that has been designated for conservation.
Ms. Nora Loughnane, Director of Community and Economic Development, noted that compliance under the Draft Guidelines would mean including areas in the new multi-family housing district by-right that are currently zoned as single family housing.
Select Board members noted their approval of Planning Board’s conservative approach of designing the proposed new district with just 16 acres, given an expectation that DCHD will change its guidance after it receives comments from Westwood and other cities and towns.
Pond and Clapboardtree Streets Traffic Study
In a discussion continued from its last meeting on traffic safety, Select Board unanimously authorized the town administrator to proceed with obtaining additional analysis of traffic in the area of Pond and Clapboardtree streets. The additional data, which includes speed and crash data, is expected to provide support to Select Board’s plan to change speed limits on those streets to a uniform 30 m.p.h.
The board also reiterated its decision from its last meeting to change yield signs to stop signs at the Pond and Clapboardtree streets intersection.
It also unanimously voted in favor of trying to establish a school zone in front of Xaverian Brothers High School on Clapboardtree Street.
Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. The current intersection of Pond Street and Clapboardtree Street has yield signs in traffic channels that will be converted to stop signs.Norfolk County Restricts Flow of Funding from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA )
Select Board authorized town staff to take steps to obtain Westwood's share of up to $10 million in general revenue loss that can be reimbursable under ARPA. Town Administrator Christopher Coleman and Assistant Town Administrator/Finance Director Pam Dukeman reported that ARPA funds are administered to area towns through Norfolk County. They say Norfolk County has interpreted ARPA as limiting the county to an ability to hold only $10 million at one time, to divide and distribute among municipalities.
Under the county’s interpretation of ARPA, Westwood would receive only $330,000 right now of what was expected to be a much larger sum. Select Board designated Ms. Dukeman as “creator” and Mr. Coleman as “certifier” for purposes of accessing the ARPA online portal to pursue Westwood's claim.
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DPW Contract Approved Just Ahead of Cycle of New Contract Negotiations
Select Board approved a retroactive cost of living adjustment, a one-time performance payment of $500 to some members, a new Juneteenth holiday, and gender neutral language in a one-year contract with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union 1445. The union includes members of Westwood's Department of Public Works.
The contract between the town and DPW workers covers the period of July 21, 2021 through June 30, 2022. New contract negotiations for the next fiscal year are expected to take place in the very near future.
Accepting Ownership of Westwood Lodge
Following the town’s vote at last year’s Town Meeting to accept municipal ownership of two lots of the former Westwood Lodge, Select Board authorized the town administrator to execute the documents necessary to transfer ownership. The lots in question include a soccer field.
Land transaction with Hale Education
Select Board also unanimously voted to enter executive session to discuss, among other items, strategy for the purchase, exchange, lease or value of property owned by Hale Education.
Hale Education property sits adjacent to Westwood's town offices and Department of Public Works facilities on Carby Street.Announcements and other developments
--The proposed budget for FY 2023 for the town is available online for residents to review. The proposed budget will go before residents for a vote at the Annual Town Meeting in spring.
--Select Board Chair Michael Walsh announced that Dedham-Westwood Water District has achieved Tier 2 Compliance for Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs).
--There has been a delay in distribution of the town census, due to adjustment of precinct lines. Westwood’s population has increased by 11 percent, requiring the addition of a new precinct and the redrawing of precinct lines. In early April 2022, some residents will receive a notice that their polling location has changed.
--Nomination forms for the John J. Cronin Public service Award are available on the town website. Nominations can be submitted to Select Board through March 7, 2022.
--Westwood Little league will hold its annual opening season parade on Saturday April 30, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. The parade will start at Hanlon School and walk to Morrison Field, where activities will be set up, as in past years.
--Westwood Fire Department does not test the ice surfaces in town. Those that venture onto the ice do so at their own risk.
