HANSCOM AREA TOWNS COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING
Held at 7:30 PM on April 24, 2008
At Lincoln Town Offices
PRESENT:
Sara Mattes Lincoln Board of Selectmen (Chairman)
Anne Shapiro Concord Board of Selectmen
Jeanie Krieger Lexington Board of Selectmen
Mike Rosenberg Bedford Board of Selectmen
Richard Canale Lexington Planning Board
Margaret Coppe HATS Lexington
Lisa Mustapich Bedford Planning Board
Bob Domnitz Lincoln Planning Board
Dorothy Steele Massport/ OGCA
Sara Arnold Massport
Jim Corcoran Hanscom Airforce Base
Renel Fredriksen Lincoln Housing Commission
Christina Wilgrenow Bedford Housing Partnership
Bill Moonan Bedford Housing Authority
Bob Bicknell Lexington Housing Partnership
Catherine Perry Lincoln Planning Department
7:30PM INTRODUCTION
Sara Mattes welcomed the attendees and introductions were made. Ms Mattes outlined the agenda, which has affordable housing as the main discussion item.
7:35PM DISCUSSION with affordable housing representatives from HATS communities
Each community described its organizational arrangements, approach to, and experiences with affordable housing, including the following points:
Lincoln
The Lincoln Housing Commission was established in 1979 to maintain existing, and propose additional, affordable housing. The Commission’s role includes advocacy, development and management. It currently manages six units and it has ‘bought down’ three units for sale. The Commission has no staff but can draw on the town’s staff resources, and the Town Planner attends the HOME consortium. The Commission can not spend money without a Town Meeting vote, and has no eminent domain powers. Recently a Housing Trust has been set up to hold and disburse money; state grants and CPA money are potential sources.
The town’s inventory of affordable housing for state purposes contains a significant number of units in early condominium developments that had land trust involvement. Recent developments that add to the inventory are Minuteman Commons, a private condominium development with six affordable rental units, and Deaconess Abundant Life Communities’ continuing care development, named The Groves, with thirty affordable rental units. These take Lincoln above 10% until 2010 when the census is expected to increase the denominator. The town is looking to add further units to stay above 10% beyond then. The commission is working with other agencies and investigating group homes. Once the town is securely above the 10% level, the Commission would like to look at other ways of increasing diversity.
Accessory apartments have been seen as part of such an approach in the past.
Bedford
Bedford has a long history with affordable housing: its Fair and Affordable Housing Committees began fifty years ago. The town also had the first Chapter 40B development, a complex of family duplexes with 75% affordable. It is still going strong but has needed renovation.
The Housing Authority is a management body. It is bound by many state rules, for example governing procurement. Bedford is proud that it has never needed state subsidy, which may help in relations with state agencies. The authority has a five member board with one state appointee. Developments include elderly housing off Great Road, a few affordable units in Bedford Village, and a group home for people with mental health needs. The group home was well publicized and attracted no overt hostility. The town insisted on local architectural style and the positioning of the building benefited the layout of the neighborhood. The Authority would like to control more Ch. 40B developments or manage other housing developments. In terms of the state inventory, Bedford is at over 18% but the number of units actually
operated as affordable is significantly lower and this is seen as a problem.
The Housing Partnership is a separate organization. It uses a consultant, paid for through CPA funds, and volunteers. It has made a major contribution to veterans’ housing. It is currently carrying out a 14 unit development on Concord Road. It has arranged the purchase of a farmhouse property with CPA funds; the house will be renovated and seven units added. The new units will be constructed by Habitat incorporating green technology. Most of the Partnership’s units are rental but some are for ownership.
Bedford’s zoning has a requirement for affordable housing in certain types of development. The town has worked on compiling information on affordable housing (locations, types and contact information) and making it more available via the website.
In response to a question about Ch. 40B developments, Bedford’s representatives said that they thought the Avalon on Great Road was successful in many ways but that developments on the perimeter/ in industrial areas can be isolated from the rest of the town’s population and services.
Lexington
Lexington’s Housing Partnership was formed in 2003, based on a major project for residential conversion of a hospital including 90 affordable units. The Partnership has 21 voting members representing a wide range of interests.
LexHAB has been in place since the 1970s and is an affordable housing trust, to manage flows of money. Some developments in town make financial contributions that help to fund affordable housing. The trust has funded small projects on small sites with construction work by Minuteman Tech. students.
The Lexington Housing Authority has a few dozen units, and partners with Concord in addition. It also manages some federal and state housing.
Lexington’s state housing inventory is at 11.3%, with the main contribution coming from the Avalon at Lexington Hills (the Metropolitan State Hospital site). The town expects to stay above 10% in 2010 but it is likely to be close. The latest small addition to the numbers is Douglass House, an adaptation of the old Lexington Press buildings, which will be occupied as a group home by persons with brain injuries. Two Ch. 40B developments are in the pipeline following legal proceedings. As in Bedford, there are concerns about whether there are enough genuinely affordable units, but some ideas have failed to take off. A consultant is developing further ideas. Land is limited and expensive, with sites often going to developers who plan to build large houses. There is also concern about the inability of
people on moderate incomes to buy houses in the area, causing a loss of the younger element of the population.
In response to a question about school costs in relation to the Lexington Hills development, the Lexington representatives explained that predictions were made based on the previous Avalon development at Lexington Ridge, and money was placed in escrow by Avalon and the state in case expectations were exceeded. Also some funding was provided for buses. The development was governed by rules applying to surplus government land. The town was supportive of a plan that included some affordable housing plus a mix of housing to create a balanced community, and did not wish to mange the housing itself. Other portions of the hospital site were in adjacent towns.
Richard Canale suggested that it would be nice to know if residents of affordable housing developments tend to work locally, as this would have a bearing on smart growth discussions.
Concord
Concord has an affordable housing issue. It recently established a Housing Corporation to combine the efforts of various former housing bodies.
Very recently a 350 unit ‘friendly’ 40B development has been approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals. This will bring the town up to the 10% level on its state inventory. The developer is Trammel Crow and the site is on the Acton and Sudbury border. The land was formerly industrial but has been cleared for some time and used for equipment testing. The development will need a road improvement in Acton. The project comprises blocks of rental apartments and there will be an on-site septic system, avoiding a potential problem with the town’s treatment plant reaching capacity. The development represents a big step for Concord but it has had difficulty making progress with small developments. This project did not need Town Meeting approval.
A local developer is also proposing a further 150 unit project nearby. The town is considering the cumulative impacts including traffic issues.
Densities of affordable housing developments were compared. Lexington’s highest density development is Battle Green with 31 units per acre. Lincoln’s 7 or 8 per acre is a little above other towns’ cluster developments. Bedford considers sites individually, and some have mixed uses.
9:00 PM MAGIC/ MAPC UPDATE:
MPO/ TIP
Mr. Canale reported that MAGIC has sent a letter to the Metropolitan Planning Organization setting out its priorities for TIP funding, with the Route 2 Crosby’s Corner project in highest place. As usual, the draft TIP will be released for a 30 day consultation period, probably in July.
Zoning Reform
MAGIC discussed the latest set of ideas from the Governor’s Zoning Reform Task Force. Other sub-regions have also held discussions. MAGIC’s comments were similar to the others, with many questions about detail and interpretation. Most communities felt that there were not enough incentives for optional participation and that some items being used as sweeteners should be in place anyway. There may be further iterations from the Governor’s task force over the next few months.
9:10 PM REPORT ON ROUTE 128 CENTRAL CORRIDOR COALITION
Sara Mattes reported that the Central Corridor Coalition formed by the towns of Lincoln, Waltham, Weston and Lexington has written comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Prospect Hill, asking for serious traffic mitigation measures. Such measures might include a transport interchange on the Fitchburg commuter rail line and orbital bus lanes. MAPC will probably get funding for a corridor study. A memorandum of understanding between the towns may be prepared. The coalition’s next meeting will be on May 16th.
9:15 PM HAFB:
Housing Privatization
It was reported that since American Eagle abandoned its housing construction project part way through, needs have been reassessed and target housing numbers reduced. The project is being put out for re-bidding.
Cyber Command
Hanscom is one of 18 bases being considered for a new Air Force cyber command center. The HATS towns will be supporting the bid that is being coordinated by the state. Much data is already available, having been collated for the BRAC study.
9:20 PM OTHER BUSINESS
Massport reported that it has signed an agreement assigning fire safety responsibility to the Air Force.
Massport warned of loud military aircraft noises later this evening.
The Chairman announced that the next HATS meeting, on May 22nd, will focus on green energy issues and will be hosted by Lexington’s Climate Action Plan Committee. In June there will be a Section 106 tutorial in Lexington. Ms. Mattes would like to schedule a workshop for selectmen and planning board members to discuss future business. ACTION: Chairman, selectmen and Planning Board representatives
9:25 PM MINUTES
The Chairman asked for those selectmen who attended the meeting on February 28th to send in their votes on approval of the minutes.
ACTION: Selectmen
The meeting voted to adjourn at 9:30 PM.
Submitted by Catherine Perry. Approved as amended June 26, 2008.
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