Sen. Creem, Rep. Peisch update Wellesley Select Board on MassBay plans, funding outlook
State Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem and State Rep. Alice Hanlon Peisch shared legislative updates with the Wellesley Select Board on Oct. 7, and heard from board members about the latest from the town as well (see Wellesley Media recording, about 7 minutes and 30 seconds in). Rep. Peisch got right into it, by speaking about the state and MassBay Community College plan to sell land for housing development and to help fund college campus initiatives.
Based on a state plan to allow a minimum of four units per acre to be developed, the town could be looking at least at a future 180-unit project in a part of town where residents say congestion is already awful.
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The legislators recently had “a very productive meeting” with leaders and staff from the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (aka, state’s realtor), Rep. Peisch said. “They were very interested in what the community as a whole thinks,” she said.
The EOHLC and DCAMM teams said they were interested in public input about topics such as what type of housing is needed (retirement, workforce, etc.), and how open space fits in. The more specifics, the better, Rep. Peisch said.
The purpose of the meeting from the legislators’ perspective was to get information from the state agencies about some of the board’s and public’s concerns, including the murky timeline.
“The number one message we got from them is that this is a housing project,” Rep. Peisch relayed. They were not open to putting this project aside to look at other ways to help the college achieve its funding needs, she said.
Board Chair Marjorie Freiman said she found it encouraging that the agencies told the legislators that they want to hear from the town, as the town seeks to do some “visioning” by early December to inform requests for proposals sent to developers.
According to Peisch, there’s no set timeline to issue RFPs, as the state agencies understand it could take months to come to agreement on what would be included in them. She said there had been some confusion about an RFP going out in 30 days, and that is not the case.
Sen. Creem said there could be a trade-off between protecting some or all of the 40 acres of forest within the MassBay property, and the height of whatever structure or structures are built. But she did get the impression 180 units was the magic number for the state, so that the town shouldn’t negotiate for higher density in exchange for other wants.
Working with a consultant, the town might want to give the public a sense of the different options and trade-offs that could be on the table so that they can better visualize possible outcomes, Freiman said.
Other unanswered questions at this point relate to traffic and parking. If the current lot across Oakland Street from the MassBay campus has housing developed on it, MassBay will need more parking for its students and staff elsewhere, and that could impact traffic. How upgrades to the nearby intersections would be funded is another challenge that board member Colette Aufranc raised during the discussion.
Moving on to other issues, Sen. Creem raised the topic of state funding in light of rapid fire federal moves.
Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July has big implications for the state, Sen. Creem said. “The tax change in the federal law had a spillover into Massachusetts to the tune of $650 million,” she said, pointing to the frequent coupling of the federal and state tax codes in areas such as the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, which was raised significantly. The state didn’t know the federal changes would be coming before the state set its budget that started in July. The state gave itself a cushion in the budget, but there are still unknowns, such as on healthcare costs. Money has been coming into the state via taxes at a higher rate than a year ago, but not high enough to fill gaps, Sen. Creem said.
Earmarks, those targeted appropriations that state legislators get for their constituents, are also on hold pending what the governor does later this year (see also “Select Board meeting brims with positive financial news”).
Despite the discouraging funding news for the state, Rep. Peisch said she’s an optimist by nature and is hopeful that funding information will become clearer in weeks and months ahead so that state and municipalities can make needed decisions.
Other updates included one on an act to allow print-free legal notices, including in publications like ours. Rep. Peisch said that had a favorable committee report, but that in addition to a Wellesley home rule petition, Peisch filed a bill that would have implications beyond Wellesley since many communities want this flexibility, and that may be the direction in which the legislature heads.
A town effort for property tax deferrals for senior heads to a hearing in early November, and Rep. Peisch anticipates action on that soon.
Regarding a bill about the individual Medicare Marketplace that Wellesley Retirement Board Chair David Kornwitz promoted during this week’s All Board Meeting, Rep. Peisch said there is interest in the legislature but also strong opposition from a group that represents state retirees. She said more organized support, such as from the Massachusetts Municipal Association and a critical mass of municipalities, is needed to boost the bill. Wellesley town leaders have expressed their support for this bill in light of the national health care cost crisis.
Related: Legislators share updates with Select Board on climate, public meetings, more (Janary, 2025)