The team behind the proposed assisted living and memory care facility to be located at the top of Pond Road on the Wellesley/Natick line will no longer pursue zoning changes in either town.

“What we clearly demonstrated is that senior housing is needed in both communities, and we look forward to working with the towns to address that need,” said Pete D’Agostino of Tenax Strategies, a consultant to developer Welltower’s 200 Pond Rd. project team.

A letter from the proponent’s local attorney informed the Wellesley Select Board on Friday, March 8 that Welltower would no longer be pursuing Article 43 at Town Meeting to seek a zoning amendment. “As we have navigated the hearing process for Article 43, it is clear there isn’t sufficient support for the zoning amendment,” wrote attorney David Himmelberger. Wellesley’s Select Board in January voted 5-0 against entering a development agreement on 200 Pond Rd. rezoning.

The proponents for this project said its proposal would address a need for assisted living and memory care housing in one of the only viable locations in the area, while conserving precious land around it. Opponents aired environmental, traffic, and strategic housing concerns, and have dotted the scenic road with dozens of signs arguing against the proposal.

Numerous meetings on this topic have been held in Wellesley and Natick (where the actual facility would be built) since 2022. The driveway and address for 200 Pond Rd., is in Wellesley.

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The proponents were dealt their most recent blow late last month when Wellesley’s Advisory Committee strongly recommended unfavorable action to Town Meeting on zoning changes that would have allowed access from Wellesley to such a proposed facility. A large contingent of opponents to the project packed the meeting at Wellesley’s Tolles Parsons Center, home to its Council on Aging.

The proponent found itself in a tricky situation where neither town wanted to act first on zoning changes.

Natick’s Planning Board has a public hearing slated for March 13 on proposed zoning changes in the town related to the project. But presumably there won’t be any action on that.

It remains to be seen what will become of the mansion at 200 Pond Rd., that was to be razed to make way for the proposed senior facility. The possibility of cluster housing has been raised during discussions on the project.