Town Meeting ended, Monday May 15. What happened in zoning? What's coming in the Fall Special Town Meeting?
Several important Articles that will affect our Town were passed and several failed. The big news in zoning and potential changes to our neighborhoods is in the MBTA Communities Act density overlay. See below for this, too. For the full list of zoning Articles that were presented at Town Meeting and our thoughts on them, can read our earlier blog Guide to the Town Meeting zoning Articles here: http://tm.arfrr.org/
In summary:
* Self-serve gas was allowed, providing that a full-serve attendant is retained and that the station also provides car-repair services.
* Arlington adopted higher efficiency standards on home construction. This could eventually allow energy efficient homes to take advantage of certain density bonuses, or to avoid other Arlington bylaws, but does not, as yet, do that.
* A plastic turf study committee was voted to be convened, but a moratorium on plastic turf was not supported.
* A proposal to eliminate businesses' required parking in the B5 (Arlington Center) district passed. ARFRR thinks this could remove handicapped parking and potentially penalize employees of businesses in the B5 district, as well as add to the parking congestion in the area.
* A proposal to eliminate the requirement for usable open space in single- and two-family uses in all residential and business districts failed. This would have promoted turning our green open spaces into parking and facilitated larger structures by right, thus ending ZBA review of such requests, allowing neighbors to have input before changes are made.
* A non-binding proposal, Article 67, on Town Meeting's support of affordable housing was pushed through, though it would not result in affordable housing. A 'feel good' resolution that could actually increase expensive density, it will be important not to let density advocates justify future changes by this uninformed last minute vote.
** The fall will bring Arlington Special Town Meeting, which will have our response to the MBTA Communities Act density overlay. Watch for information on this. The Department of Planning and Community Development will hold a public forum on the density overlay on June 8. See this link: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/32224/18?curm=6&cury=2023
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Here are the details of the votes:
Monday, April 24
Article 6: Allow self-serve gas with Chris Loreti's "protect Arlington's small business" amendment:
This came up last year in 2022, and in 2013. The motion passed (we will now have self serve), but with an amendment by Chris Loreti to ensure that self serve can only be provided by auto service stations, so as to save our local businesses from being converted to pumps-only, or pumps with mini-marts only.
Article 10: Require energy-efficiency code standards for new construction
To require the specialized stretch code in new construction. The measure will insure that new construction in Arlington is of the highest energy efficiency. It is already supported by 9 other towns and has little downside. The motion passed.
Monday, May 3
Article 29: Eliminate the parking requirement in B5 Arlington Center business district
A proposal to eliminate required parking for businesses in the Arlington Center B5 district passed. ARFRR thinks this could remove handicapped parking and potentially penalize employees of businesses in the B5 district, as well as add to the parking congestion in the area. It also seems unfair to have one B district with different parking rules than the others.
Monday, May 10
Article 12: Enact a moratorium of up to two years while a study group is convened to assess the impacts of artificial turf on human and environmental health
While the moratorium failed, an alternate Substitute Motion passed that will create a study group to carry out the intent of the original Article and its Substitute Motion.
Article 30: Eliminate the usable open space requirement for single-and two-family uses in all residential and business districts
This vote had 3 pro-motion (pro-density) speakers and then the debate was terminated. We voted (it's a 2/3rds zoning vote) and the vote failed, though it was about 124 to 84.
Article 31: Allow dog day care in Industrial districts
We voted to allow dog daycare to be an allowed use in the industrial districts - it was simply left off the earlier approved list from a few years ago.
Monday May 15
Article 49: Approve Community Preservation Act funding
We voted YES for all Community Preservation Act funding, which include $400,000 for a project at Hill's Hill (by they ice rink) which would build bike paths and, controversially build pump and flow tracks, similar to skate parks.
Article 67: Resolution to affirm affordable housing overlay districts
At one minute to 11pm, with just a few minutes left in Town Meeting, a resolution to promote an affordable housing overlay zone throughout all parts of town was pushed through. TM voted to support it. It was quite clear that Town Meeting didn't know what they were voting on, but felt warm and fuzzy about it. Hopefully this non-binding resolution will be remembered as anything but a strong vote of support. The resolution is highly problematic and would do nothing for affordability, or low-income residents.
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What happens next? Special Town Meeting about MBTA Communities Act density overlay.
ARFRR wrote an earlier blog piece on the MBTA mandate:
Town Meeting will reconvene in the fall for a special meeting to discuss and vote on how we respond to the MBTA mandate, aka the MBTA Communities Act. An MBTA Working Group was formed and has been meeting to determine how we'll respond. The Working Group is made up entirely of pro-density residents. It will be important for Arlington residents and businesses that do not want drastic increases in density to pay attention to the Working Group, and make their voices heard at public events about the MBTA Communities Act.
MBTA Communities Act - Important Meeting
Big Density is coming. On June 8 there will be a public forum in the Community Center (Senior Center). The Town will present its first version of compliance plans for the MBTA Communities Act, a density mandate that over 170 communities in eastern Massachusetts will have to meet. This could radically increase our density, lead to loss of open spaces, and amplify expensive urbanization.
https://www.arlingtonma.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/32224/18?curm=6&cury=2023
