- Meeting of the Arlington Redevelopment Board (15th May 2023)
- The board discussed an update on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Communities planning process. The main focus was a preliminary draft report from a consultant hired by the town, based on a community survey and the board’s work to determine the exact number of acres and units needed for compliance with the district requirements. Two draft versions of the district were presented, with the first version meeting the requirements and the second version falling short. The board expressed preference for the first version, but raised concerns about potential loss of business parcels. The board also considered upzoning some parcels to allow for six-unit buildings and incentivize mixed use. The board plans to present both options to the community for input and discuss the best way to engage the public at a meeting scheduled for June 8th.
- Continuation of Technical Assistance
- The committee discussed the continuation of technical assistance funded by Mass Housing Partnership aimed at providing visual graphics and drawings for the committee’s work.
- Three-Family Homes Across the Board
- The committee discussed the potential of allowing three-family homes across the board, which was seen as a good first step. The committee members agreed to further discuss this matter to understand the needs and implications better.
- Future Meetings and Agendas
- The committee discussed future meetings and agendas. They noted that they did not have any items on the agenda for the meeting scheduled for May 22nd. They also discussed the possibility of a third dispensary coming before them in June.
- Atwood House Project and Other Approved Projects
- The committee requested an update on the Atwood House project and other approved projects that were not moving forward. They planned to have a specific discussion around the Atwood House project, which was seen as a unique circumstance. The committee agreed to schedule this discussion for a June meeting.
- Juneteenth Holiday and Meeting Schedule
- The committee discussed the handling of the Juneteenth holiday and decided to move their meeting to the 26th of June. They also agreed to schedule the rest of the year’s meetings in their next meeting.
- Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) on Three Properties
- The committee discussed the status of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) on three properties, with an update expected in June. They also planned to discuss approved Arlington Redevelopment Board (ARB) projects and the third dispensary in June.
- Meeting Minutes and Fall Town Meeting Articles
- The committee acknowledged that they were behind on meeting minutes and were using a transcription service to catch up. They also planned to review the articles they had originally planned to move forward for the fall town meeting.
- End of Terms for Some Members
- The committee discussed the end of terms for some members, with one member’s term ending in September and another in June. They discussed the process for reappointment, with some members needing to go through the select board or the governor for reappointment. The committee agreed to look into the files to understand the reappointment process better.
- Potential New Member
- A potential new member, an architect, builder, and small-scale developer, expressed his interest in joining the board. The board members expressed their excitement about the potential new member’s development experience. The potential new member was particularly interested in the maximum footprint of development projects and the topic of infrastructure. The board members expressed their excitement about the ongoing conversation about development and infrastructure.
- Adjournment to Town Meeting
- The committee decided to adjourn the meeting to the town meeting. The motion to adjourn was proposed and seconded. A vote was then taken, with all members voting in favor, leading to a unanimous decision to adjourn the meeting to the town meeting.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIHste4IIMw