Zoning and Planning Committee -April 28, 2026

• Governing Body: Zoning and Planning Committee
• Meeting Type: Regular Meeting
• Date: April 28, 2026
• Chair: Councilor R. Lisle Baker
• Committee Members Present: Councilor Pamela Wright, Councilor Cyrus Dahmubed, Councilor Susan Albright, Councilor Lisa Gordon, Councilor Rena Getz (remote), Councilor David A. Kalis (late), Councilor John Oliver.
• Staff Present: Shailen Davis-Iannocco (Housing Program Manager), Nora Colello (Chief of Long Range Planning), Andrew Lee (Law Department).

The Committee reviewed a request to authorize the Mayor to submit the Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Financial Overview:

• Total Funding: Approximately $3.45 million.
• CDBG (Community Development Block Grant): $1,800,000.
• HOME Investment Partnership Program: $1,490,000 (shared via West Metro Home Consortium).
• ESG (Emergency Solutions Grant): $163,000.

Key Goals and Projects:

1. Affordable Housing: Production at West Newton Armory (expected November 2026) and preservation at Coleman House and New Hyde Apartments.
2. Down Payment Assistance: $10,000 grants for low-to-moderate income first-time homebuyers.
3. Fair Housing: Continued partnership with Suffolk University Law School for fair housing testing. Testing in the previous two years showed evidence of discrimination in 25% of cases.
4. Human Services: $278,000 allocated for childcare, tuition assistance, and case management.

Official Action:

• Motion: Approval of authorization for the Mayor to sign and submit the plan.
• Vote: Approved, 6-0-1 (Councilor Baker abstaining due to affiliation with Suffolk University).

Councilors Albright and Kelley requested an amendment to exempt raised beds four feet or less in height from the definition of a 'structure' to allow placement within setbacks.

Discussion Points:

• Setback Constraints: Planning staff presented diagrams showing maximum build-out scenarios. Concerns were raised regarding side setbacks in dense Multi-Residence (MR) districts where houses are already non-conforming and close to property lines.
• Definitions: The Committee discussed the distinction between a 'raised bed' and a 'retaining wall.'
• Safety: Councilor Getz raised concerns regarding the proximity of beds to public sidewalks and potential tripping hazards.

Official Action:

• Motion: To hold the item until the first meeting in June for a formal public hearing.
• Vote: Approved unanimously.

The Committee discussed five proposed updates to the MRT subcategory of the Village Center Overlay District (VCOD) to incentivize development.

Proposed Modifications:

1. Unit Flexibility: Allowing a 4/2 unit split between two buildings on a lot rather than a strict 3/3 split.
2. Building Distance: Reducing the minimum distance between buildings from 20 feet to 15 feet.
3. Parking Setbacks: Modifying requirements to allow more efficient site plans.
4. Parking Requirements: Reducing the requirement of one space per unit for new construction.
5. Footprint Increase: Increasing the maximum footprint from 1,500 square feet to 2,000–2,500 square feet for four-unit buildings.

Committee Feedback:

• Councilor Wright noted that developers currently use 'bay window' exemptions to increase footprints by up to 25%.
• Councilor Dahmubed emphasized using these tools to incentivize the preservation of historic 1850s-era homes.

Official Action:

• Motion: To hold the item. Planning staff will provide a portfolio of existing MRT projects and floor plans for review.
• Vote: Approved unanimously.

Planning staff presented a series of ministerial and substantive updates to the VCOD ordinance.

Key Proposals:

• Banks in VC3: Allowing ground-floor banks by Special Permit (currently prohibited).
• Trash Collection: Changing the private trash pickup requirement from 'per building' to 'per parcel' for sites with more than five units.
• Facade Preservation: Removing ground-floor height barriers that prevent the preservation of historic facades, such as the Rice Valley building.
• Parking Dimensions: Reducing parallel parking stall requirements from 9'x21' to 9'x19' to fit more parking on constrained lots.

Official Action:

• Motion: To hold the item. The Chair will work to separate ministerial clerical changes from substantive policy changes in future dockets.
• Vote: Approved unanimously.

Chair Baker reported on a letter from the Mayor regarding Brookline's proposed rezoning near the Newton border.

Key Points:

• Opposition: Owners of 'The Street' shopping center have formally opposed the Brookline rezoning due to concerns over parking and traffic spillover.
• Traffic Impact: Projections suggest traffic on Route 9 could significantly increase.
• Infrastructure: The Mayor's letter emphasizes the need for state-level coordination regarding the 'loop' at Hammond Street and Route 9 before rezoning proceeds.

Official Action:

• Motion: To hold the item for informational purposes.
• Vote: Approved unanimously.