Town of Arlington, MA
Redevelopment Board

Agenda & Meeting Notice
March 15, 2021
 
 

This meeting is being held remotely in accordance with the Governor’s March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law G.L. c. 30A, Section 20. Public comments will be accepted during the public comment periods designated in the agenda. Per Board Rules and Regulations, public comments will be accepted during the public comment periods designated on the agenda. Written comments may be provided by email to jraitt@town.arlington.ma.us by March 15, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. The Board requests that correspondence that includes visual information should be provided by March 12, 2021 at 12:00 p.m.

The Arlington Redevelopment Board will meet Monday, March 15, 2021 at 6:00 PM in the

This meeting will be held via Zoom Meeting with audio and video by using this link and Meeting ID: 972 4412 5035 https://town-arlington-ma-us.zoom.us/j/972 4412 5035 Meeting ID: 972 4412 5035 or by phone:1-646-876-9923, enter Meeting ID then "#”

1.Public Hearings
6:00 p.m. Docket #3647, 10 Sunnyside Avenue
*Continued Public Hearing*
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED A CONTINUANCE AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CONTINUED TO AN UPCOMING ARB MEETING.
Board will open a public hearing for Special Permit #3647 to review an application filed by MB Realty Group, LLC, 339 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA, on January 26, 2021, in accordance with the provisions of MGL Chapter 40A § 11, and the Town of Arlington Zoning Bylaw Section 3.4, Environmental Design Review. The applicant proposes to reconstruct a mixed-use building containing general office space and five residential condominiums at 10 Sunnyside Avenue, Arlington, MA in the B4 Vehicular Oriented Business District. The opening of the Special Permit is to allow the Board to review and approve the development under Section 3.4, Environmental Design Review.

Docket #3646, 1420 Massachusetts Avenue
*Continued Public Hearing*
Board will open a public hearing to review an application filed on January 26, 2021 by 1420 Massachusetts Avenue, LLC, c/o Bierbrier Development, 420 Bedford Street, Lexington, MA, in accordance with the provisions of MGL Chapter 40A § 11, and the Town of Arlington Zoning Bylaw Section 3.4, Environmental Design Review. The applicant proposes to reconstruct the Citizens Bank and make other site improvements at 1416-1420 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA in the B4 Vehicular Oriented Business District. The opening of the Special Permit is to allow the Board to review and approve the development under Section 3.4, Environmental Design Review, and Section 6.2, Signs.

• For each public hearing, applicants will be provided 5 minutes for a presentation.
• DPCD staff will be provided 3 minutes to discuss public hearing memo.
• Members of the public will be provided time to comment.
• Board members will discuss each docket and may vote.

2.23 Maple Street - Memorandum of Understanding
6:40 p.m. 23 Maple Street - Memorandum of Understanding between Town of Arlington (Department of Public Works, Department of Inspectional Services, and Department of Information Technology) and Arlington Redevelopment Board

Board members will review MOU and authorize Director to proceed with tenancy  

3.Zoning Warrant Article Public Hearings
7:00 p.m. ARTICLE 45
ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT/ TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS
To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 8.2.3A of the Zoning Bylaw to increase the percentage of affordable housing units required in any development subject to Section 8.2 of the Zoning Bylaw from 15% to a percentage between 25 and 30%; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of John Sanbonmatsu, Laura Kiesel, and 10 registered voters)

ARTICLE 41
ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT/DEFINITION OF FOUNDATION
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw in Section 2, by adding a new definition as follows: Building Foundation: The masonry or concrete structure in the ground which supports the building. It does not include porches, decks, sheds, patios, one story attached garages, carports, or the like; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of Patricia B. Worden and 10 registered voters)

ARTICLE 38
ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT/ ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES ON NONCONFORMING LOTS
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw to allow new construction of energy efficient foundations and homes on nonconforming lots in the R0, R1, and R2 Districts that meet certain energy efficiency industry standards; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Redevelopment Board)

ARTICLE 43
ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT/ ARTICLE TO PROPOSE THE ADOPTION OF ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADUs)
To see if the Town will vote to the purpose of this article is to see if the Town will amend the Zoning Bylaw to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on the property of single family, two-family, and duplex dwellings; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of Barbara Thornton and 10 registered voters)
** Please note that this Zoning Bylaw Amendment is subject to M.G.L. c 40A Section 5 such that this zoning bylaw may be enacted by a simple majority vote, rather than the 2/3 supermajority that applies to other zoning amendments. **

ARTICLE 42
ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT/ AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON PRIVATELY OWNED PARCELS
OF “NON-CONFORMING” SIZE
To see if the Town will vote to allow the development of new sources of permanently affordable housing (affordable in perpetuity and affordability as defined in Arlington Zoning By-Laws) by modifying the requirements for constructing housing units to enable construction on smaller lots as long as those units are permanently committed to be available for rental or ownership according to official regional guidelines (see (Zoning Bylaw Section 2, Basic Provisions, Definitions Associated with Affordable Housing) of affordability.
Such construction would be permissible in all zoning districts allowing residential use, providing the tracts were laid out prior to July 1, 2019, and receive a special permit from the ZBA. Ownership, sale, repurchase and rentals of each property would be overseen by the Arlington Housing Trust Fund or a comparable entity that would have the authority to enforce the affordability guidelines in perpetuity; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of Barbara Thornton and 10 registered voters)

A brief introductory presentation will be provided for each article

Board members and members of the public will be provided time to ask questions and comment for each article

 

4.Warrant Article Review
9:15 p.m. Article 11 Bylaw Amendment/ Stormwater Management
Article 22 Vote/ Reserve Affordable Housing for People Earning Under 60% AMI
Article 27 Home Rule Petition/ Real Estate Transfer Fee

Board will discuss articles and provide feedback to Director to prepare a memo on behalf of Board to Select Board 

5.Meeting Minutes (12/9/20, 12/21/20)
10:00 p.m. Board will review and approve minutes 

6.Open Forum
10:05 p.m. Except in unusual circumstances, any matter presented for consideration of the Board shall neither be acted upon, nor a decision made the night of the presentation. There is a three minute time limit to present a concern or request. 

7.Adjourn
10:25 p.m. Estimated Time for Adjournment

8.Correspondence Received

Correspondence received from:

R. Harney 030321

C. Loreti 030521

X. Pretzer 030921

E. Adams 031021

L. Somervell 031121

S. Newton 031121

S. Schou 031121

C. Cunningham 031221

C. Lake 031221

L. Martyn 031221

R. Persson 031221

R. Shaw 031221

Members of the Envision Arlington Diversity Task Group 031221

A. Henkin 031321

P. Worden 031321

S. Ettinger de Cuba 031321

D. Seltzer 031421

J. Lewis 031421

S. Revilak 031421

L. Rosenbaum 031421

C. Farrell 031521

G. Cook 031521

K. Kelleher 031521

K. Martin 031521

L. Culverhouse 031521

R. Peterson 031521