The END of A-Town as A Town?
An ever more exclusionary “community”?
Enrichment of the few?
without ANY impact studies or coordination,
and minimal public input:
Two of them cede local control over development completely. The Third and Fourth ignore resident input entirely.
- 40B Development
- By-Right Multi-Family Development in the New MBTA Act Overlay
- In Progress...Attempt to End Single-Family Zoning Throughout Town…
- This Just In: An AHO Overlay to Allow Denser, Taller, Wider Buildings With No Parking On Site…
The creation of truly affordable housing supports the creation of a diverse community. Yet the MBTA Act does not actually mandate that any buildings be designed so as to trigger the creation of affordable units, and the formula used for determining affordable rents/prices in 40B units are 15% higher (for purchases) - 30% (for rentals) higher than the formula Town bylaws would allow.
Needless to say, many naturally affordable older buildings will be lost and the vast majority of the new housing will be far more expensive than what it replaces. We are witnessing that already as new units come online. All of this in addition to the loss of the Town’s trees, greenery, and historic architecture.
As the costs associated with this new housing become clear, the rationale for knocking down and building more densely in an already dense Town has morphed from: “We need affordable housing” to “Even if all of the units created under the MBTA Act are more expensive than what is here now, it will open up affordable housing for someone SOMEWHERE ELSE.”
BUT
What about those who continue to be displaced from Arlington?
What about Arlington’s need for a diverse community with older housing for those who do not desire “luxury” units?
How might we prioritize Arlington as a community with its own fiscal issues, needs, and goals?
FOUR DENSITY INITIATIVES AMPLIFY ONE ANOTHER
1) 40B Development:
Why is Arlington subject to 40B Development?:
Arlington could show that it has met the requirement that 1.5% of its land area zoned for residential or commercial or industrial use contains housing with affordable units. It has neglected to compile data that would exempt us from mandatory 40Bs. Why does our Planning Department cede independence and oversight over development in our town at every turn?
Current 40B Projects in Progress…
The Majestic Millbrook:
Is this “Missing Middle” housing?
1 BR 1 BA @ 1,058 sq ft = $878,000 LISTING
2 BR 2 BA @ 1,195 sq ft = $999,000 LISTING
Source:https://www.elevatedboston.com/buildings/majestic-mill-brook-arlington-luxury-condos/
Price of “Affordable Condos”?…No data until next year.
The Artemis
Reasonable Rent?
3 BR @ 1201-1321 sq ft = $4194-$4492 / month**
2 BR @ 849 or 1046 sq ft = $3368-$3529 / month
Studios and 1 BR @ 500-558 sq ft = $2452-$2567 / month
(**Typical size of most older units that rent in Arlington for ~ $2700)
How Affordable?: 31 units out of 124 will be designated “affordable” @ (last year's data):
3 BR = $2,585/mo; 2 BR = $2,246 - 2,273/mo; 1 BR = $1,904/mo; Studio = $1,834/mo
Rents are tied to a rising AMI and will automatically rise in turn.
2) By-Right Multi-Family Development in The MBTA Act Overlay Zones
What?: The MBTA Act allows multi-family construction by right in the newly created overlay zone. The Town has zero input as to what types or sizes of units get created.
Why is Arlington subjected to this state mandate? Because Arlington is “adjacent” to rail services at Alewife, the state mandated that the town create a dedicated zone, with the capacity for 2,046 multifamily units, within one mile of Alewife Station.
Where Is the New MBTA Overlay Zone?: From East Arlington to the Heights
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| East Arlington |
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| Arlington Heights |
Blue= 4-6 stories on Mass Ave & 4-5 stories on Broadway;
Gray = 3 stories on side streets
Numbers: There is capacity for 3,216 units on 115.6 acres in the overlay district. With bonuses, the actual number of units built could be thousands of units higher (1,235 units is the minimum net gain).
This is separate from the 40B units created, and in progress, mentioned above, which do not count toward MBTA Act compliance at all and of which we could see many more.
Building Heights:
Mass Ave: Up to 6 stories and 78 feet.
Broadway : Up to 5 stories and 65 feet.
Neighborhoods: 3 stories and 35 feet.
Affordable Component?:
15% "Affordable" IF designed with 6+ units
Rents go up automatically as AMI in the area rises.
Neighborhoods Transformed:
From this..
To this..
 |
Casting these shadows... |
Above are the plans for the first project to take advantage of loosened rules in the MBTA Act's overlay on an Arlington side street: a duplex-attached-to-a-duplex on a single lot on Belknap Street. Neighbors are rightly concerned about issues of size, design, privacy, parking, and snow removal. Nor do they feel that market rate condominiums are in keeping with the spirit of the Town's goals of providing more affordable housing.
3) In Progress: Attempts to End Single-Family Zoning Throughout Town
Article 34: ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT / RESIDENTIAL USES
FROM SPRING 2024
To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 5.4 of the Town’s Zoning Bylaws by changing the definitions, regulations and requirements of R0 Large Lot Single-Family Districts, R1 Single-Family Districts and R2 Two-Family Districts to permit the expansion of allowable residential uses in these districts, with the goal of diversifying the Town’s housing stock; or take any action related thereto.
- Inserted at the request of John Paul Lewicke and ten registered voters
What? A proposal to allow ALL single-family and 2-family homes to be redeveloped as 3-family buildings, by right, throughout Arlington.
Where Does this Come From? This is a citizen initiative, proposed by a few Town Meeting members. Due to state changes making it easier to pass changes promoting density, this initiative could pass with a simple 51% vote of Town Meeting. Town Meeting is a body of 252 individuals elected by a mere 15% of voters. This proposal was floated in the spring of 2024 and will be introduced at TM very soon.
Some want to increase density on main corridors and others want to increase density where it is currently less dense. Hence, multiple pushes for density from all angles.
4) This Just In: Another Overlay for Even Denser Taller Buildings
On 9/16/24 the ARB began discussing an AHO (“Affordable Housing Overlay”) with the Select Board but provided no public documents. It is not clear where they want this new overlay to go.
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New Minimum Height Limit Proposed for Cambridge |
AHO Overlays allow developers to override local zoning rules regarding building size, height, setbacks from sidewalk, and parking. Buildings in parts of Cambridge’s AHO are allowed to be 150 feet tall. In Cambridge some propose to allow 6-13 story buildings on all of its streets. They propose to remove side and rear setback requirements for these towering buildings completely.
THESE ARE MONUMENTAL CHANGES FLOATED WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT OR OUTREACH
FACT: The Town Has NO PLAN and NO END GOAL…for Schools, Streets/Traffic, Climate Resiliency, Parking
How will the SCHOOLS accommodate so many new residents? Two older elementary schools were converted to condominiums in the 1980s and the Gibbs Building presently houses all the sixth graders in town. There is NO PLACE to build more schools.
How will the ROADS accommodate so many new drivers on our streets? Not everyone is able to rely upon cycling and mass transit. MBTA service has deteriorated. Arlington’s traffic is already CONGESTED and main routes in and out of town are often jammed.
Where will the PARKING go? Those who buy $1M condominiums will own cars. Residents who pay high prices to buy new units in Arlington will demand ON-STREET PARKING. Pedestrian safety will suffer and neighborhoods will be less safe for children.
How will this impact the ENVIRONMENT? Fewer trees, increased traffic, and less permeable surface will make us LESS CLIMATE-RESILIENT and will decrease our air quality. Streets with fewer trees and green spaces are less pedestrian-friendly and climate-friendly.
How will this impact REAL ESTATE TAXES? TAXES WILL GO UP due to:
1) Increased Gentrification: Land values will go up as developers buy up homes to demo and build larger so real estate taxes will be hiked accordingly; 2) Taxes on multifamily buildings will not cover the increased cost of services used by residents in those buildings so Arlington’s perpetual budget shortfalls will get worse; 3) Our potential for a healthy commerical tax base - so badly needed in Arlington - will shrink even more.
How will this impact RENTS? RENTS WILL GO UP. Rents on new units are substantially higher than for pre-existing units. Older buildings will also fetch higher rents because demand for the scarcer older units that remain will increase.
PLEASE TELL TOWN MEETING, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND THE SELECTBOARD WE NEED PLANNERS WHO CONSIDER ARLINGTON’S NEEDS COMPREHENSIVELY:
Arlington Redevelopment Board:
rzsembery@town.arlington.ma.us; srevilak@town.arlington.ma.us; KLau@town.arlington.ma.us;
SKorman-Houston@town.arlington.ma.us; EBenson@town.arlington.ma.us;
Arlington Select Board (those who appointed this ARB):
amaher@town.arlington.ma.us; EHelmuth@town.arlington.ma.us; SDeCourcey@town.arlington.ma.us; LDiggins@town.arlington.ma.us; JHurd@town.arlington.ma.us; DMahon@town.arlington.ma.us
You can make a difference: To learn how, visit us on Facebook @ARFRRgroup, read more at: https://sites.google.com/view/arfrr/the-arfrr-blog or contact us at arfrrinfo@gmail.com
