While some Annual Town Meeting members favored holding off on approving MBTA Communities-related zoning plans until fall, a strong majority voted this week in favor of all three related motions that could impact the future of housing in Wellesley near public transportation (see Wellesley Media recording).
The first two hours of Tuesday night’s meeting were devoted to Article 40, which addressed Wellesley’s plans for adhering to the newish MBTA Communities law requiring 177 cities and towns with public transportation access to zone for development of multifamily housing nearby stations. Town Meeting’s approval of the three motions under Article 40 will go a long way toward enabling Wellesley to meet the state’s year-end compliance deadline. Special Town Meeting in the fall will need to finish the job on one aspect of the plan related to 40R zoning (See also “Looks like Wellesley MBTA Communities plan will need some Special Town Meeting treatment”)
Other communities such as Milton are fighting the state requirements, facing risks of losing state grant money, but Wellesley officials have indicated an intention to comply from the start.
Executive Director Meghan Jop and Planning Director Eric Arbeene kicked off this session by explaining for the umpteenth time in recent months the ins and outs of the MBTA Communities law and Wellesley’s approach to complying. The pair has taken part in a series of public forums as well as board and committee meetings on the topic, all leading up to Annual Town Meeting. The presentation has morphed a bit over time, with recent updates regarding the state’s response to Wellesley’s pre-adoption review application, though it has consistently included points of emphasis: This law is about putting in place zoning for about 1,400 units across 50 acres, not requirements to build them; and that Wellesley is already almost compliant, other than removing the special permit requirement in areas designated to fall within the MBTA zoning parcels. While housing built by right in MBTA Community zones would dodge the onerous Project of Significant Impact process, it would still need to go through a thorough Site Plan review with Wellesley’s Zoning Board of Appeals.
During his presentation, in an effort to assuage concerns about a possible sudden housing density influx, Arbeene showed existing developments in town that have more density than would be allowed under MBTA Communities zoning (15 units per acre). What’s more, Arbeene discussed Wellesley’s plan to require affordable housing within qualifying MBTA Communities projects based on the town’s existing inclusionary zoning rules—the state law doesn’t include any affordable housing requirements. The third motion under Article 40 addressed the inclusion of inclusionary zoning.
Beyond its MBTA Communities zoning compliance, Wellesley has in the works a Strategic Housing Plan that will taken a broader look at housing needs in town.
Questions and comments from Town Meeting members hit on a host of topics, including whether this plan would involve the Wellesley Farms area of town, which has a commuter rail station. In short, no. The plan mainly involves Wellesley Square, Wellesley Hills, and the William Street area where The Nines apartment complex operates (The Nines is relatively nearby the MBTA green line, though it’s not a straight shot).
Town Meeting members also questioned the premise of MBTA Communities really providing a combination of transportation access and affordable housing given the high expense of using the commuter rail and the likely need for cars by new residents anyway in light of the commuter rail’s limitations vs. the subway system.
Advocacy group Building a Better Wellesley’s Deed McCollum, a Town Meeting member, rose in support of the article, saying that its motions are consistent with the ideals that Town Meeting has deemed important from housing development and diversity to sustainability to supporting commercial districts. “I think this is really an amazing look at both how the town can meet MBTA Communities and how it benefits the town,” she said, noting that it also doesn’t impact single-family zoning. Reps from other familiar groups in town, from World of Wellesley to the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, also rose in support of the article.
Another article supporter, Town Meeting member Leda Eizenberg, said “This is an opportunity to sort of put our money where are mouths are, except it’s not currently costing us anything, it’s just the opportunity to have more dense housing in neighborhoods that are already dense not with housing, but with commercial…” This also allows Wellesley to be a leader on the housing front, she added. Town Meeting member Jim Roberti echoed her sentiments, and urged the body to look at Wellesley’s role in supporting a broader state initiative to make housing more affordable and plentiful, and possibly even help address some of the issues Boston is currently having with its downtown hurting by enabling more people to live close to the city.
A handful of members cautioned about the town moving ahead with the motions now, and locking the town into decisions, in the case that the law is changed as a result of legal actions being brought by other communities (Town Counsel Tom Harrington said he doesn’t see the law going away).
“Litigation is out there in some of these other communities that have pushed back, so my question is ‘What happens if the result of this litigation is that it’s illegal for the state to push this or maybe push some of this?'” said Town Meeting member Amy McCarron. Another member said it seemed “premature to make this decision” in part because the town is only now embarking on its Strategic Housing Study that could lead to a more informed decision. Town Meeting member Melinda Arias-Voci also urged patience, while raising the issue of whether denser housing is really what people want in light of already tough congestion in some neighborhoods where homes are very close together.
Town Meeting voted in favor of all three motions: MBTA Community definition (177/18/2); Major Construction Project Definition (180/14/2); and Inclusionary Zoning for MBTA Community Zoning (175/18/2). See Town Meeting scorecard for all voting results.
Whew, we plowed through 8-plus hours of Town Meeting this week: Please support your local news source, The Swellesley Report
New condos along Rte. 9
Not to be overlooked, Town Meeting also approved Article 42 by a 168/20/3 count, a win for the developer of a proposed 34-unit condo project on nearly 1.5 acres at 194/196 Worcester St. (Rte. 9 east on ramp) and 150 Cedar St.
The developer, which presented its plans publicly last year, requested town approval to do so under residential incentive overlay (RIO) zoning. The development would replace a mix of commercial/office/residential properties that have fallen into some disrepair. It would be adjacent to the recently completed Cedar Place apartments on Burke Lane, and would contain no commercial space.
RIOs are rare in town, being used at the Waterstone senior living complex and a couple of new condo facilities on Linden Street and Weston Road. This project would provide 7 affordable units, and generate hundreds of thousands in new tax revenue to the town, per a Planning Board presentation to Town Meeting.
More:
- Wellesley Town Meeting Week #1: Loving the balanced budget; Technical difficulties; Stormwater fee coming; Delayed projects get their day
- Wellesley Annual Town Meeting night #4: Spending priorities; Fired up about fire chief reporting structure
I’m overjoyed that Article 40 passed by such a wide margin. Now we just need to make sure some of the housing allowed under MBTA Communities is actually built!
And to that end, the article says Article 42’s approval is “a win for the developer.” I think it’s a win for everyone who wants a diversity of housing options in town, especially with the income-restricted units.