Braintree Residents Skeptical After Changes To Zoning Proposal

BRAINTREE, MA — The Planning Board is considering changes to a rezoning plan following weeks of objections from residents afraid it will lead to overcrowded housing developments and ruin Braintree's small-town feel. Several changes to the proposal presented were designed to make the building of multi-development housing more difficult and restrict their size. Nothing was voted on, but many residents remained skeptical following the presentation.

Planning Director Christine Stickney and Melissa Santucci Rozzi, the assistant director of the planning and community development department, presented the revisions, which restrict developers from building six-story buildings in the highway district. The revision makes four stories the maximum. Originally, the proposal would have allowed for six-story buildings with a special permit.

Another proposal included restricting the number of multi-family units allowed from 20 to 12 in the "Transition District" between Braintree Square and South Braintree Square. Santucci Rozzi said the board wants to do this "to provide more compatibility between this district and the abutting districts." A special permit would also be required for all mixed-use developments.

Santucci Rozzi also used census data to try and give residents a rough idea of how much new housing development they can expect. She said rumors were going around that greatly overestimated the number of housing units Braintree's new zoning proposal would allow. Some have been as high as in the tens of thousands.

"That would literally mean we were going to rebuild Braintree two times over," Santucci Rozzi said. Using historic averages and projected census data for 2020, she estimated an increase of around 520 to 1,180 housing units over the next decade.

Several of the 100 plus residents who attended Monday night's meeting voiced their skepticism. Resident Peter Thompson said he would have liked to know exactly how many houses and how many developments the proposed zoning plan allows. But planning board members said that isn't possible.

"To determine the total number of units the comprehensive zoning ordinance and map would create would be nearly impossible," Santucci Rozzi said.

Thompson also tried suggesting solutions like using the state's 40B affordable housing policies to Braintree's advantage. He advocated using 40B to make more affordable housing for seniors with 55 and older communities.

"This town could stand up as 40B-friendly and use it to our advantage," Thompson said.

Planning Board chair Robert Harnais and Santucci Rozzi both said that could be agood idea, but many residents have been opposed to any type of 40B housing. Harnais said the other challenge is finding a developer to build the 40B senior housing, as developers often want to go for the project they'll make the most money on.

Liz Page said the proposal doesn’t do enough to protect residential neighborhood. Specifically, she objected to the South Shore Plaza being moved out of one of the residential districts. With the plaza being rezoned, she said the proposal would allow for the South Shore Plaza to become a hotel or other large development if it were to close.

"You should be erring on the side of residents, not on the side of businesses," Page said.

Santucci Rozzi said large projects would like new businesses at the South Shore Plaza would be look at critically with the special permit process.

"If we do not have the infrastructure to support that particular project, we deny that project," she said.

The next open rezoning meeting with the Planning Board is scheduled for 7 p.m., June 3 at the town hall.

Related

• Braintree Rezoning Delayed After Massive Protest
• Braintree Residents Protest Zoning Change Proposal
• Opinion: 'Long-Term Approach' Needed For Braintree Zoning
• Opinion: Councilor David Ringius On Braintree Zoning