Town of Sharon Planning Board

Meeting Minutes of 7/09/08

Amended and Approved on 7/30/08

 

 

Planning Board Attendees

Arnold Cohen, Chair - absent

Susan Price

Paul Lauenstein, Vice Chair

Amanda Sloan 

Eli Hauser, Clerk - absent

 

 

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer, Consultant - absent

 

Attendees

None

 

 

Chair’s Report

The meeting began at 7:40 PM with Vice Chair Lauenstein reading the Chair’s Report.

 

Meeting Minutes

The review of the meeting minutes for 6/25 was tabled because a quorum of the members who attended that meeting was unavailable.

 

Inclusionary Housing

Mr. Lauenstein reported that he met with the Finance Committee and let them know that the Supreme Judicial Court had upheld 40B with a few tweaks. He suggested that Sharon would be wise to formulate a strategy to deal with this. As stated to FinCom, Mr. Lauenstein said, “Sharon currently has a temporary exemption from 40B based on approving the 156-unit Avalon Bay development. This will end in a year or so, after which Sharon may get another one-year exemption if the Wilber School redevelopment project gets a building permit, after which we may get another year or two from the Intoccia housing project associated with the mall. Ultimately, however, we would need another project to replace most of the 200 Simpson units in order to reach the 10% affordable housing quota and restore the ZBA's authority to enforce local zoning bylaws.” A number of FinCom members were unaware that Simpson, at 200 units the largest of the four developments in the plan to reach the 10% 40B affordable housing quota, had been turned down by the ZBA.

 

Mr. Lauenstein commented that an Inclusionary Housing bylaw would probably not generate more than a handful of units toward Sharon's 40B quota. Instead it should be regarded as an insurance policy against backsliding, in case another large development such as Brickstone or Hunter's Ridge was to come along. He also stated that there are several considerations:

 

1)      What happens if Inclusionary Housing does not pass? If we can’t get to 10%, it could be open season for 40B. Density could increase if the remaining land in Sharon were developed as 40B projects. Although Sharon is almost built out as per conventional zoning but there is still room for more 40B development and redevelopment. If Inclusionary Housing passes we are still vulnerable as 40B prevents backsliding but probably would not get us to 10%. The formula itself could be revised and simplified according to Eli Hauser's previous suggestion: one affordable unit for developments of eight units or more, plus one affordable unit for every additional seven units.

 

2)      Should “off campus” units be allowed? On undeveloped parcels or deed restrictions on existing houses?

 

3)      Brickstone wants to be exempted from Inclusionary Housing based on their development agreement with the town, in case construction is delayed in part or all of their development beyond the "grandfather" grace period.

 

The Finance Committee requested that Mr. Lauenstein return at another meeting with a specific article to review and vote on.

 

Ms. Price said that in support of the Inclusionary Housing bylaw, we need to know how many potential units could be built under the different thresholds the Board is considering.  Mr. Lauenstein stated that there are only five or six areas where space for ten or more houses could be built.

 

Ms. Sloan asked Mr. Lauenstein what his sense of the language for Inclusionary Housing should be. He responded that selling this will be tough but simplicity is important. He said something needs to be on the table that will allow people to agree. Ms. Sloan stated that the larger issue is to find a way to gain immunity from 40B. This article is for keeping us from backsliding.

 

Ms. Price will form a subcommittee with Mr. Lauenstein to simplify the previous article drafted by Tom Houston. Ms. Sloan will create the visuals for the presentation and suggested that educational materials/articles be placed in the Advocate.

 

Sign Review/Bond Approval

None.

 

Form A’s

None

 

Next meeting dates through the end of August

 7/30, 8/13 and 8/27

 

Other

Ms. Levitts to submit a placeholder for Inclusionary Housing.

 

Meeting Adjournment

Ms. Price moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:45 PM and Ms. Sloan seconded the motion. The Board voted 3-0-0 in favor.