What Happened At The August 29th Working Group MBTA Density Overlay Meeting
Note: We will add a video recording here of the 2 hour meeting, where public input was restricted, if a video becomes available. Shane Curcuru's MenotomyMatters.com website has posted a good summary of the latest map(s). The metrics are uncertain on how the Working Group arrives at the units of housing zoned for (it could be very different including 'density bonus floors' that are gifted to developers: https://menotomymatters.com/townhall/mbta-udpates2/
We attended (via Zoom) August 29th’s Working Group meeting. They are still getting their ideas together for their final report and planning to include all "the valuable feedback" they received from the public....We note 2/3rds of public forum comment on July 25th - the only public forum meeting were voices of concern for their plans.
The WG discussed grants that were of questionable value in Arlington. What continues to puzzle us is why a middle to upper middle class suburban town like Arlington wishes to obtain grants such as urban renewal and site readiness of contaminated properties, etc. How many sites do we have here? These are grants that places like Fall River and Lowell truly need and qualify for. Arlington is not that place. The mania to write grant proposals and receive grants for unnecessary study groups and using the destruction of our town to accommodate this mania is beyond us.
The MBTA density overlay law forbids requiring/preserving commercial uses. Recently, though the Commonwealth relaxed this position somewhat with the allowance for some incentives to have some commercial within these density overlay buildings. The mixed use discussion was that they will not modify their plans to include, seems to us to be a good way to meet at least 25% of our required units. The WG went back and forth on how to describe why they would not consider this new modification Interesting that it was very important to WG Member Rebecca Gruber to include that such a modification "was not an improvement" to their plans..
They appear to still not have a complete draft ready - just an outline so far. There was a discussion on whether all maps should be included in the final report. Possibly will be included in an addendum. Afterall, they were created with great "public feedback", as they said. Ironically, they also noted that a postcard will be going out to 4,500 homes that are most affected in Arlington Residents as the first time many people affected will learn of the density overlay. They anticipate that many residents will attend the Sept 11 meeting.
The public will need to learn quickly about the WG proposals and write many letters to TMM and the ARB by that date.
WG Member Laura Weiner mentioned that they must include the "convincing calculations" regarding incentives. Planning department employee and WG Advisor Teresa Marzilli offered to provide useful suggestions to the ARB concerning tenant rights, among other totally off-topic concerns. Such suggestions would be irrelevant on the question of the MBTA density overlays. Various members of the WG discouraged this. WG meetings are all over the place.
There was no discussion of the plan itself this week.The WG will submit the plan to the ARB and will counsel them to "review the current zoning".
Our takeaway was that the public who are concerned about the WG proposals had better reach out with our letters and conversations, particularly to people that can really make a difference. Also, individuals from every affected neighborhood need to attend the Sept 11 Town Hall meeting to make their voices heard.
There were a number of people who signed the ARFFR petition calling on Town officials to limit compliance to what is required by the state, not to exceed it, on the Zoom call.
Resources:
Working Group and other contacts:
Maps of where is affected:
Petition to ask Town officials to comply, but not exceed the requirements:
More information about the MBTA density overlay:
