Braintree Town Council Approve Development at Weymouth Landing Approved

More development is coming to the area near the Braintree side of the Weymouth Landing.

On Tuesday, the Braintree Town Council voted to support a zoning change to promote a mix of residential and retail development at the former Braintree Electric Light Department property on Allen Street.

Stephen O’Brien was the only councilor to vote against the motion, citing a concern for the amount of development already taking place in town.

The vote is another step in Mayor Joseph Sullivan’s effort to revitalize the area, with the council voting to sell a parking lot to a developer at a meeting last month. The vote moves the area’s the zoning from commercial to the Braintree-Weymouth Landing Zoning District.

“We’re on the verge of some positive redevelopment,” Councilor Charles Kokoros said. “That property has been sitting there forever. It’s just been sitting there and doing nothing.”

Near a MBTA Commuter Station, the new housing is expected to be aimed at young adults and not families that may be interested in moving to Braintree.

“I know there is a concern for more housing with this rezoning how ever it’s important to keep in mind that the proposed housing is transient-oriented that attracts young professionals before the family stage,” Councilor Michael Owens said.

Echoing the comments of his fellow councilors, Council President Thomas Bowes said that there is a traffic issue in the area that will need to be addressed by the prospective developer.

“Traffic is the number one issue. I am sure that with our potential development going on the Braintree side of the landing we’ll have some traffic studies and retiming of the lights. These will be things taken up by the planning board and this is not the end of this,” Bowes said.