Submitted by Meredith McCulloch
When the Planning Board met September 24 to review the draft Housing and Transportation sections of Bedford’s new Comprehensive Plan, residents came to voice their concerns about affordable housing. Many feared that more affordable housing coupled with the transitional housing at the Plaza Hotel will heavily impact schools and other town services.
They asked why Bedford has become the site for housing as many as 100 families and how that could be prevented in the future. Planning Board chair Jeff Cohen explained that the board has no control over the State’s use of the Plaza Hotel for housing and that Representative Ken Gordon and the Selectmen are looking into the situation. More information about school enrollment can be found at https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2013/09/12/schools-open-with-more-kindergarteners-homeless-students-than-expected/
Several residents asked why Bedford was carrying a heavier burden for affordable housing than surrounding towns and why Bedford’s percentage of affordable housing is 16.9%, higher than the 10% threshold and higher than neighboring towns. The Planning Board is seeking a cushion above the required percentage as protection against a developer using a 40B Comprehensive Plan permit. For a fuller explanation see https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2013/09/25/answering-questions-about-bedfords-affordable-housing/ .
Residents spoke of their satisfaction with the town and their fear that expanded affordable housing would reduce the qualities they value. Many of these concerns have been identified in the Comprehensive Plan draft, according to chair Jeff Cohen, and he encouraged everyone to read the report carefully when it is made available.
Resident Brian O’Donnell said he had recently attended a conference of about 200 school business managers. Many reported having similar problems of increased school populations. “It is not unique to Bedford.” The school administration is still investigating the cause of the increased enrollment.
The basics of the Comprehensive Plan will be presented in a brief report at Special Town Meeting on November 4. In addition to Housing and Transportation other elements of the plan are:
- Natural and Cultural Resources and Open Space
- Economic Development
- Land Use
- Town Services, Facilities, Recreation, and Energy
Last updated in 2002, the Planning Board has been at work on the current revision for 1-1/2 years, using mostly in-house expertise with a small appropriation for a consultant. Two public workshops were held in 2012 with an advisory committee of citizens working ever since. Additional comments will be invited after the presentation at Special Town Meeting.
[Editor’s Note: This article has been edited from the original posted 9/30/2013.]
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I am half expecting a number of people to gather with pitchforks and torches and try to run the transitional families out of town or hang the hotel owner, or burn the hotel to the ground. Really people these transitional families don’t want to be here either – it’s either the Plaza or a box on the street. Why are we not trying to make their lives easier? Where is this Christian charity we hear about?
The quote attributed to me in this article is not accurate nor complete and does not reflect the full sentiment of the statement I made to the board. Additionally, a lack of context changes the meaning of the statement I did make. I would respectfully ask that this quote be removed or that the full quote be inserted if a recorded version is available.
While I can not recall my exact words (which comprised at least two more sentences than what appears in the article) the sentence above was more like; “Bedford is an American Dream Town, and what you are planning may change that,” or something much closer to this affect.
What I was hoping to convey in my statement was that Bedford is, indeed, “An American Dream Town”. Our community’s close-knitting, beautiful trees, open spaces, excellent small schools, and wonderful and diverse residents make Bedford a very special place. For those lucky enough to call Bedford home, it represents an opportunity to actually achieve the American Dream for ourselves, and maybe for our children. Much has been written about how threatened the American Dream has become for most Americans (and understandably so). By keeping Bedford as close as possible to its current size and zoning it may be possible to allow Bedford to remain a bastion of The Dream. It appears that a desire within the Planning Board to grow the overall amount of housing (of any kind) as well as to stipulate a higher-than-average percentage of affordable housing (which is a policy that differs from surrounding towns) may change the nature of the town by increasing its size and density.
A better way to achieve the American Dream for Bedford would be to prohibit the removal of smaller homes for replacement of large homes on small lots for a profit. I am appalled by the number of million dollar homes for sale in Bedford. Most are on lots that could easily hold a smaller, yet beautiful home that would bring in more families.
To argue that affordable housing is going to change the nature of the town without discussing these million dollar properties,
and how they are also changing the nature of the town, simply reinforces the view that affordable housing is bad.