Wellesley this past week got word that yet another 40B project — at 818-822 Worcester St. (Rte. 9 East) — is getting serious. The quasi-public MassHousing outfit, which also funds 40B projects, sent a site eligibility letter to the town about this project and has scheduled a site walk for Feb. 1 at 10am, which will no doubt be super convenient for many neighbors.
This proposed 4-story, 28-unit condo complex would pale in size compared to some of the other 40B projects in various stages of planning in town. This project, which would reside near the Hardy Elementary School, would include 7 affordable units that would enable the team building it to comply with the 40B statute and gain possible zoning breaks. Developer Jay Derenzo’s other 40B projects proposed in Wellesley, near the Sprague Elementary School, were reviewed by MassHousing and have not been given the go-ahead yet.
The project description for 818-822 Worcester St., reads in part: “The main goal is to minimize the overall impact on the two neighboring residential parcels. The main geometrical building mass is placed to the rear of the site as far from the existing homes as possible in order to create the maximum open space between the new and existing construction. The largest mass is placed near the mature tree line along the southern property line abutting the elementary school’s open recreational field. Additionally, existing tree lines along the residential neighbors’ borders are minimally disturbed. This area will serve as a visual landscape buffer between structures and will help screen residents’ vehicle lights and noise. The site plan calls for a new, split ingress and egress driveway with a landscaped island in between which will heighten safety for the higher speed one-way traffic along Worcester Street. The radial driveway aids in vehicle deceleration and the landscaped island provides ‘green’ screening of the new construction.”
The Town of Wellesley is working hard to get a Housing Production Plan in place to give it more control over where affordable housing is built. And that means developers will be stepping up efforts to get their projects introduced and approved as soon as possible.
A website for the Housing Production Plan is in the works, and a series of related public meetings are slated in the months ahead, with hopes for the plan’s completion in September.
I am generally against affordable housing. It’s a government program that really does not do much for anyone. A handful of lucky people get to live in Wellesley and send their kids to Wellesley schools without having to earn it like everyone else. The developer gets rich. That’s about it. The rest of town residents have to deal with the downside, which is first and foremost an increase in density, which of course we all know means traffic. As if Wellesley does not have enough of that already.
HOWEVER, I have given up on fighting this because it is clear that the crooked politicians in Beacon Hill are going to get their way. It’s government gone bad. Just steamrolling town residents so their developer buddies can cash in. BUT, if we have to endure this, let’s build these things on Route 9. Of all the proposed sites I’ve seen, this one seems to make the most sense. In fact, let’s double the size of it and just get to the 10% threshold ASAP. Let’s put a stop to this brazen assault by these selfish developers. Let’s do the best we can to protect the single family neighborhoods that simply could NOT handle the traffic like a site like this can.
Wow. You think people in Wellesley somehow work harder than the “lucky” handful who get to send their children to Wellesley schools without “earning” it? You live in a wealth-diseased bubble in this town. My parents worked their tails off 10 hours a day for the entirety of their lives and NEVER could have afforded to move into a town like Wellesley. Furthermore, how easy do you think it is for the “lucky kids” who get to attend WPS without having the status clothes, cars, houses, after school activities, and exclusive vacations? The wonderful education, I promise you, is not worth the scars of belittling and embarrassment they face. You are entitled to you feelings about public housing but don’t confuse your hard working with your deserving of residence in this town.
I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. In fact, the opposite. I grew up poor. I live in Wellesley now because I worked my butt off throughout my life (and yeah, probably caught a lucky break here or there too, not denying that). Living in Wellesley is a reward for that hard work. That’s how our society is set up – to the victor goes the spoils. At least that is how it should work. These days everyone wants something for nothing.
I don’t want anyone to get ridiculed. I don’t want kids to feel badly. I was that kid once. I know how that feels. No one deserves that.
Blame 40B – it’s just a classic example of government policy distorting the free market and causing problems for everyone.
Again, your belief is that hard work gets the “reward” of living in Wellesley. Maybe you should explain that concept to all of people who work their “butts off” in this area who don’t get that reward. Rather than defend your vile comments, you should spend your time thanking whatever powers that be who got you to this point in your life. In your reply back to me, it is even more apparent that your complaint is with those you view as “getting something for nothing” rather than your other arguments against affordable housing. By the way, these affordable units aren’t free. Any further words from you will fall on deaf ears. I know your type.
STOP!!!
Enough already! The hideous McMansionization and the overbuilding proposed on and near woodlands is over the top. You people with $$ in your eyes-have you considered the impact on quality of life of those residing nearby, traffic patterns, and the environment? Stop!
No M Holtje, no one is considering existing town residents needs in any way. The town of Wellesley is, to some extent, trying to protect residents, but unfortunately they are being overrun by State politicians who see it as their right to override individual town zoning. What a mess! If we are going to have to build affordable housing, which it looks like we are, let’s do it right. This means the town coming in and buying the land in the appropriate spots and building the apartments themselves. This way the town is working toward the 10% threshold, but doing it on their own terms. This is key. It is really in all residents best interest to build the apartments and get to the 10% threshold ASAP. As long as we are under, the state law 40B will allow these vigilante developers to sidestepped Wellesley zoning. If this is the case, the developers will build whatever they want, wherever they want. And that is the WORST possible outcome.