Willow Street Zoning Changes Headed to October Town Meeting Vote

The Hamilton Board of Selectmen has endorsed a plan for new zoning along a portion of Willow Street to go to a Town Meeting vote in late October.

But a majority of the board, for now, isn't backing a plan from the town's Economic Development Committee to make similar changes to the entire downtown commercial district.

Instead, they are backing expanding allowable uses and density – with a special permit from the Planning Board – to the northeast portion of Willow Street between Cummings Avenue and Asbury Street in what's known as an overlay district. The new zoning won't change the existing zoning, but will instead add additional provisions to what already exists in a limited area.

"I don't think an overlay for the whole downtown will pass," said Selectmen Chairwoman Jennifer Scuteri.

The new zoning proposal would expand the types of uses for the so-called overlay district in hopes of enticing development or redevelopment.

Selectmen are motivated by the chance to redevelop the Hansbury property, a former lumberyard at 281 Willow St., which is vacant and on the market. In addition, they are motivated by the possibility of spurring development that could bring in as much as $100,000 annually in tax revenue and help stabilize the town's tax rate.

Scuteri said she has spoken with two developers who have looked at the Hansbury property. Both developers didn't see any problem with putting a septic system on the lot, she said.

"Right now, the Hansbury property has been for sale for two years," Scuteri said, noting the current zoning won't allow for any use that town leaders would want there. "It's time to get something down and at least say we are developer friendly."

Selectmen have also been faced with a proposal from the Economic Development Committee to instead add an overlay district to the entire 26-acre downtown commercial area.

"Our proposal is that it should include the entire commercial area of downtown," EDC member Bob Bullivant said about the overlay district.

Two of the Board of Selectmen's five members, David Carey and Jeff Stinson, voted on Monday night to support an expansion of the overlay district proposal to all of downtown.

Scuteri said it was only realistic to push for the smaller district to start, noting that a zoning proposal requires a two-thirds approval.

Scuteri said approving a smaller overlay district would help town leaders continue to prod the owners of the Hansbury property to sell by giving them more development options.

Stinson said if the new zoning district was larger it might allow for the highest and best use of the Hansbury property.

Bullivant said some Planning Board member have been worried that the EDC's push to expand the new zoning to all of downtown will change the character of the area.

"Yes, we want to change the downtown – we want it to be vibrant and revenue producing," said Selectman Bill Bowler, in what roused the handful of audience members to applause.

Carey said the overlay zoning law looks like the zoning for many other downtown areas in the state.

"We will do it in a very conscientious way," he said of the redevelopment plans.

The Planning Board is next scheduled to discuss the proposed bylaw on Sept. 21 at 9:30 p.m. at Town Hall. A public hearing to gather public opinion is scheduled for Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m.