OLD BUSINESS

REVIEW AND DISCUSS AMENDMENTS TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN (Continued from August 6, 2020)

a.     Discussion with planning staff and the Town’s planning consultant will include, but not be limited to the Town’s approach for achieving the affordable housing goal.

b.     Continue discussion at a later date.

Town Planner Mike Phillips stated that Jeff Davis, with Horsley Witten Group, has distributed another draft of recommended strategies, goals and policies for the housing element of the Comprehensive Plan.

Jeff Davis gave a PowerPoint presentation on the proposed changes to the Low and Moderate Income Housing strategies. 

Jeff Davis reviewed proposed changes to Strategy #1 to update Article 12 of the Zoning Ordinance and establish performance standards for the siting of low and income housing.  Mike Moan stated that it was his understanding that Table 25 was developed to direct comprehensive permits to those specific sites in order to avoid them landing in parts of town not deemed appropriate.  Mr. Moan stated that he thought Table 25 was a means to protect areas of town from this type of development and Town Planner Mike Phillips replied that is correct but may have been a false sense of security because legally someone can propose a comprehensive permit anywhere in the Town.  Solicitor Levesque added that the challenge is if a project is rejected in another part of Town that sustaining that in front of SHAB would be difficult and does not guarantee that something could not be approved outside of those sites listed in Table 25.  Jeff Davis noted that the only change is that, rather than a list of specific properties, the Town now has specific standards for this type of development.

Solicitor Scott Levesque suggested a revision to the clarification change made to Strategy #1 for properties not having water and sewer to be compliant with the underlying zoning and receiving a maximum of up to 25% as a density bonus.

Jeff Davis reviewed proposed changes to Strategy #2 and stated that the Town has identified properties from Table 25 where multi-family housing could be developed by right.  Planner Phillips stated that this would involve a zone change to sites located at 2 Esmond Street, 379 and 385 Douglas Pike, and Fourth Street.

Jeff Davis reviewed proposed changes to Strategy #3, Planned Developments, to make it explicit that any housing development in a PD zone is subject to inclusionary zoning and may conform to affordability and density standards of Article 12.  This strategy also increases the number of dwelling units allowed per building from 4 to 16 units and eliminates the requirement that each dwelling unit have at least two sides with full exposure.

Richard Colavecchio stated that it is a dramatic jump to go from 4 to 16 units and Jeff Davis replied that 4 is very low and that his recommendation was 12 units but Planner Phillips is suggesting 16 units for smaller buildings with a series of smaller units to allow for flexibility and sizing in the types of units allowed.  Planner Phillips added that this was partly in response to what the Town has been seeing and to decrease footprints by going up and this would apply to both mixed use and purely residential developments.

Jennifer Hawkins stated that she would like the Board to consider lowering the threshold for inclusionary zoning in the PD zone to get more affordable units.

John Steere suggested instead of eliminating the requirement change it to require that each dwelling unit have at least 1 side with full exposure.

Jeff Davis stated that Strategies #4, #6, #7, and #8 have not changed.

Jeff Davis reviewed proposed changes to Strategy #5 to expand resources to rehabilitate and deed restrict housing and stated that nothing has changed but that he has added more detail with regard to tax exemptions.

Jeff Davis reviewed proposed changes to goals, policies, and actions.

Jeff Davis encouraged everyone to read through the edits and provide feedback to Mike Phillips within the next week.

Richard Colavecchio made a motion, seconded by Mike Pinelli, to have a Solicitor’s report on Sand Trace.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

Solicitor Scott Levesque stated that the Sand Trace, Phase 1, declaratory judgement action filed by the Francazio’s was dismissed and is pending in Supreme Court on appeal.  Solicitor Levesque stated that Phase 2 and Phase 3 decisions also were appealed and were dismissed yesterday but that it is not clear whether they will appeal that decision.

Mike Moan made a motion, seconded by Richard Colavecchio, to adjourn the meeting at 6:20 pm.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Donna A. Corrao, Recording Secretary