[MassHistPres] Developer using 40B to advance development in LHD

[Judy Markland]

In Weston, several years ago we had a house and barn in a National 
Register District that were to be demolished for an affordable housing 
complex.  We were able to persuade the developer to incorporate both 
buildings into the project with the help of CPA historic preservation 
and community housing funding.

It also helps to involve Mass Historical Commission as soon as possible. 
   If there are any state or federal funds involved, they will have to 
sign off that there is no adverse affect on an historic property.  There 
are some who feel that subsidized financing for affordable housing falls 
in that category.  Even without that lever, alerting MHC and sending 
copies of your communication to local boards, elected officials, and the 
press is a good idea.

Good luck.

Judy Markland

Whately Historical Commission

On 1/20/2021 12:26 PM, Robert Busch wrote:
>
> A couple of years ago in Bolton we had a 1728 house that was in real 
> danger of being lost to a conventional (not 40B) development of around 
> 15 homes. Perhaps surprisingly the requirement for affordable housing 
> actually was key to saving the house.
>
> To meet the Town's affordable housing goals, our Planning Board 
> required that the antique home either be redeveloped into two units of 
> affordable housing, or that the Developer make a bylaw-mandated 
> contribution to the Affordable Housing Trust. Using this requirement 
> and the additional leverage of our demolition delay bylaw, the 
> Historical Commission was able to work with the Developer to secure 
> the redevelopment alternative such that the house was preserved and 
> its two affordable units completed.
>
> Happy to provide additional details.
>
> Bob Busch
>
> Co-Chair Bolton Historical Commission
>
> On 1/19/2021 6:14 PM, Ward Hamilton wrote:
>> In 2019, the Melrose Historical Commission led a coalition of 
>> concerned residents that opposed the demolition of the oldest 
>> commercial building (ca. 1875) in the downtown local historic 
>> district. The Historic District Commission unanimously rejected the 
>> application and all was well for the moment.
>>
>> Since then, the developer has filed a 40B application and has a 
>> hearing before the Melrose zoning board of appeals next Wednesday 
>> night, January 27th.  What can be done at this point? Anything? I'm 
>> guessing that they still need to acquire permission from the ZBA for 
>> certain variances, is that the only bargaining chip left?
>>
>> The mayor, city planner and city councilor (whose ward this is in) 
>> all support the project.  So there's no support to be found there.
>>
>>
>>
>> Ward Hamilton
>> Chairman
>> Melrose Historical Commission
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> MassHistPres mailing list
>> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
>> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/listinfo/masshistpres
>
> _______________________________________________
> MassHistPres mailing list
> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/listinfo/masshistpres


-- 
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
https://www.avg.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/pipermail/masshistpres/attachments/20210120/8fc0983b/attachment.html>