Submitted by Chris Gittins on behalf of the Planning Board
The Planning Board invites Bedford residents to attend a community forum on multifamily zoning from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5 in the Reed Room at Town Hall.
Massachusetts’ Housing Choice law requires that all 177 MBTA Communities in Eastern Massachusetts designate an area (or areas) in their community where multi-family housing is allowed by-right.
“Multi-family housing” means three or more housing units on a parcel of land, e.g., condos, apartments, or cottages. Units do not have to be occupied by families to count as multi-family. “By-right” means that no Special Permit, variance, or other discretionary approval is required, e.g., a proposal would not be subject to approval by our Zoning Board of Appeals.
New multi-family housing would still need meet the requirements spelled out in our Zoning Bylaws, General Bylaws, state building code, wetlands protection laws, etc.
Bedford is one of the 177 MBTA Communities. Under the Housing Choice law Bedford must:
- Designate at least 50 acres in town where multi-family housing is allowed by-right,
- Allow housing density of at 15 units per acre in the designated area (For reference, the Avalon development on Concord Road is 20 units per acre, 54 Loomis St. is 19 units per acre, The Village at Taylor Pond is 17 units per acre, and Blake Block has 12 units per acre.)
- Not impose any age restrictions on multi-family housing in our designated area or impose other restrictions which would make units unsuitable for families with children.
There is no obligation for property owners to build new housing in the area that is designate. The new zoning will simply allow them to do so if they want to.
The Housing Choice law allows Bedford flexibility in choosing multi-family by-right area. The Planning Board is responsible for recommending a multi-family by-right area to Town Meeting and for creating the warrant article(s) incorporating the necessary changes to our zoning bylaws.
Town Meeting will vote on the Board’s recommendation in 2024. This Tuesday night’s forum is an opportunity for you to offer your input on where new multifamily housing would work best in town and to learn more about the Housing Choice law. Resident input is essential to the Board in developing our recommendation for Town Meeting.
We hope that you will attend this Tuesday night’s community forum.
Chris Gittins is a member of the Planning Board and Chair for 2023-4.
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I went the first two forums and have been impressed by the lengths the Planning Board is going to get public input on this issue.