1985-11-18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minutes of November 18, 1985 Page 3 COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING, POLICIES 259. Comprehensive Plan, Housing Element: meeting with the Housing Needs Advisory Committee: The Board resumed work on the draft of the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan, dated November 18, 1985, with Eleanor Klauminzer, Joel Adler, William Spencer, and William Hays of the Housing Needs Advisory Committee present. Mr. Sorensen did not agree with a statement on page 4 in the draft. He pointed out land is not a fixed cost; its value increases as the density increases. Mr. Spencer questioned the emphasis on encouraging more smaller -sized units as stated on page 5. Mrs. Smith felt that the "COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DEFINITION OF AFFORDABILITY" section on page 7, which incorporates 1985 income data, needs more detailed work; the results are rental levels that are too high. On page 8, the Board and the Committee agreed to drop the "FOR STUDY:" under POLICY 2.10 item which suggested using as a target the number and percentage of housing units in the town be affordable by households with varying incomes in relationship to the income distribution in the Boston metropolitan area. On page 10, Mrs. Flemings and Mrs. Smith both objected to POLICIES 4.4 and 4.5. which read as follows: Policy 4.4: Provide accelerated processing and reduced fees for ' developments consisting entirely or predominantly of affordable housing. Policy 4.5: Adjust the timing of previously scheduled public improvements, such as streets or utilities, to make potential sites available for use for affordabale housing, or to share development costs. Mrs. Smith felt there could be abuse and Mrs. Flemings felt they were not fair. The Board agreed there should be more work on the "Town Government; Development Regulations" section on page 11, which deals with providing incentives to produce more affordable housing and introduces disincentives to discourage the use of remaining sites suitable for development for other than affordable housing. Mr. Sorensen objected to the limit on appreciation of housing to 4 per cent on page 12; he felt it should be allowed to go up by index. Mr. Bowyer noted that this language came from the "Inclusionary Housing Policy" that was presented to Town Meeting, and used for Muzzey School. Mrs. Smith felt there should be more study first. On page 14, Mrs. Smith questioned whether the mixing of residential uses in commercial and industrial areas would only benefit people of moderate income and higher. The Board and the Committee agreed to continue the review of the Fusing Element of the Comprehensive Plan on December 9, 1985. The meeting adjourned at 10:43 p.m.