by eila in All Ages, Development and Zoning, Economy & Poverty, Events, Housing, Neighborhoods and Squares
Posted on November 27, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Last Modified on November 27, 2009 at 9:53 pm
| December 3, 2009 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
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From SOMERVILLE, MA City website: There will be a joint public hearing by the Board of Alderman Land Use Committee and the Somerville Planning Board regarding proposed amendments to the Somerville Zoning Ordinance to define senior housing types, add design guidelines, establish Senior Housing Zoning and Dimensional Requirements and incorporate relevant parking requirements.
WHEN: Thursday, December 3rd at 7:00 pm
WHERE: at the VNA facility at 259 Lowell Street
The proposed amendments would create a new principal use named “Senior Housing,” which will be deed-restricted living facilities intended for use only by individuals and families with members 62 and older or for individuals and families with disabilities under the age of 62. The Design Guidelines stipulate, “No dwelling unit shall contain more than two bedrooms.”
In preparation for this meeting, the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development reviewed several recent studies including about Elder migration trends, retirement communities, and Senior quality of life; and reviewed relevant ordinances and plans for 7 other MA cities, plus 5 other cities nationwide.
In addition, with the help of the Office on Aging, they held a “somewhat brief but informative conversation” with approximately 40 Seniors. Relevant to the Census data-driven information that Somerville’s Seniors are migrating out at a higher than average rate; and are also represented within Somerville at a lower than average proportion for both the nation and the state, this group’s members were asked what they thought the reasons for the migration might be.
2 responses were reported: “moving to Florida” and “moving in with family members (perhaps to assist with childcare.)”
The following housing attributes were also valued by this group:
- storage
- “real” kitchen
- access to public transportation
- access to shopping , doctor’s office, drug store, hair dresser, etc.
- pedestrian safety and access without barriers to community and neighborhood
- Open space on-site
- Gathering space on-site (open all day not just for scheduled events)
- Near current neighborhood and/or friends.
- They were not enthusiastic about the thought of living in a smaller space than currently occupying and indicated that it would be important to have space to gather within the building where they could visit with friends, play cards, etc.”
Reference: pp. 4-5, OSPCD Report, “Senior Housing Ordinance (all attachments) 10-22-09 FINAL.pdf” found at: http://www.somervillema.gov/alert.cfm?alert_id=253
OSPCD states that AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SOMERVILLE ZONING ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE A SENIOR HOUSING USE CITYWIDE will “facilitate the construction of senior housing through:
1. establishing new definitions relating to senior housing, assisted living, congregate senior housing, and independent senior housing;
2. revising the lot area per dwelling unit to reflect the smaller unit size for senior housing, while keeping the bulk requirements of the zoning in place;
3. establishing design guidelines for senior housing to ensure that the needs of seniors are met with regard to the building design;
4. increasing the amount of landscaping required; and,
5. reducing the parking requirements, among other changes.”
The Mayor’s letter to the Board of Aldermen, the OSPCD Report and the draft Amendment to SZO for Senior Housing is found at: http://www.somervillema.gov/alert.cfm?alert_id=253
In addition to the Public hearing on December 3, 7 pm at the VNA Conference Room, the Public is invited to submit written feedback on this proposal.
What’s your take, dear reader? Do you think this proposed ordinance will be beneficial and responsive to the known needs of Somervillians?
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Thanks for the heads up, Eila!
This, for me, is the key paragraph (page 6, under “Limitations within Somerville Zoning Ordinance” in the staff report (pdf):
So I’m not sure how 40B limits which sites that can be used for this purpose, but basically, the City is claiming that the amendments are necessary because the 40B zoning exemption is just too restrictive on private profits. Are they for real? I’m sure there are plenty of well connected developers in the City and even possibly some on the BOA who see some business opportunities resulting from these changes. I wonder when our elected officials will get back to looking out for the public welfare instead of maximizing private profits.
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great, Barry! Representative Provost’s informative Citywide news from May, 2002 says, “The more-than-10% provision is the only measure currently used by DHCD to certify compliance with 40B. The statute, however, also decrees compliance where subsidized housing exists “on sites comprising one and one half per cent or more of the total land area zoned for residential, commercial, or industrial use,” in a city or town.”
As of Sept. 29, 2009, Somerville’s Chapter 40B subsidized housing inventory (“SHI”)is counted as 3,118 = 9.6% SHI units. (Our total development units counted as 3,226. The 2000 Census Year-round housing units counted as 32,389).
Source: http://www.mass.gov/Ehed/docs/dhcd/hd/shi/shiinventory.htm
note: “This data is derived from Information provided to the Department of Housing and
Community Development (DHCD) by individual communities and is subject to change
as new information is obtained and use restrictions expire.”
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Actually, 40B does allow a profit of up to 20%, if I remember correctly, which is often de facto higher depending on how creative the accounting is. So using the lack of a profit motive as a drawback to 40B is somewhat incorrect. In fact, most 40B’s are done by for-profit entities like Avalon Bay. On the other hand, the true private sector development world expects a profit of more than 20%.
The main drawback to the 40B approach to producing affordable housing of any sort is the fact that the City loses most or all control over where and when the housing happens. By proactively creating zones where it is encouraged, the City keeps some control. So that is something I like about this proposal.
What I don’t like about the proposal, at least as I understand it right now, is the implicit anti-family intent. Somerville has lots of families that want to stay and are priced out. And, unlike many other communities, Somerville has excess capacity in its schools. I am not sure why we wouldn’t seek smaller, defacto affordable units for all prospective residents in these zones, rather than limiting them to seniors.
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Is it true that this proposed zoning change is being pushed by city hall for the benefit of one of the Mayor’s most favored developers? Who just happens to want to do something down off of Park Street? Anyone?
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Hi Somerspeak, want to name that developer and tell us more?
Has anyone sent any comments in and did anyone attend the Public Hearing?
I sent in written comments, and received no acknowledgement of receipt.
(My comments can be viewed at:
http://www.slideshare.net/eilily/somerville-senior-housing-ordinance-proposalpublic-comments )
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