Housing Headlines

WINCHESTER --- After years of discussion that included a yes vote followed by a citizen petition no vote, Town Meeting finally gave its OK to transform a downtown parking lot across from the commuter rail into a 60-unit apartment building. The breakthrough included developer Civico responding to town feedback by adding more parking and increasing the number of affordable apartments to 40 at 60 percent of area median income.

SWAMPSCOTT --- The Swampscott Zoning Board of Appeals appears close to approving a Ch. 40B land use permit that would allow WinnCompanies to build 114 mixed-income apartments on a former construction yard site near the town's commuter rail. The approval - which could come as early as June - would come after several contentious public meetings in which the developers agreed to scale back their proposal from 128 to 114 units, add parking and widen an entrance from the site to the Swampscott Rail Trail.

WORCESTER --- Looking to counter a housing development pipeline that is generating mostly market-rate housing, city councilors unanimously referred an inclusionary zoning plan forward for a public hearing, after a public discussion in which many spoke in favor of the idea. At the meeting, the chief development officer for the city, Peter Dunn, presented a proposal requiring that all new multifamily rental or for-sale developments of 12 units or more include 15 percent of habitable square footage at 80 percent of area median income or 10 percent at 60 percent of area median income.

REVERE --- In an effort to increase affordable housing in the city, Mayor Brian Arrigo is proposing a new inclusionary zoning ordinance that would require developments of six units or more to set aside 12 percent of the units as affordable. Other details of the proposal include reduced parking requirements, especially for new housing built within 1/2 mile of transit. The mayor was set to present the ordinance to the city council for consideration on May 23.

NORWELL --- Town Meeting took two votes this spring that could be construed as positives for housing, needing only a simple majority to pass a bylaw allowing the creation of accessory dwelling units of up to 900 square feet and denying an effort to classify 8.3 acres as conservation land to avoid it being developed for housing.

FALMOUTH --- In an effort to create year-round walkable neighborhoods and multifamily housing that's affordable, Falmouth voters have approved a mixed-use district for the downtown area. Approved last fall by town meeting voters and OK'd by the attorney general's office in March, the new district increases the amount of housing allowed from six to 20 units per acre. "This bylaw (allows) the types of development that the town wants to see, especially in the downtown area with the mixed-use higher density residential,” said Jed Cornrock, the town's planner.