Commentary by Frank Schroth

Let’s start with the good news. At least one member of the Planning Board believes that the board should be engaged in planning. When the topic of Milton’s Housing Production Plan came up at the most recent meeting of the Planning Board, it was Ms. Innes who said, “We need a plan to get this [the housing production plan] done. It’s just hanging out there.” One out of five is .  .  .  frankly, a pretty poor statement on how the current board supports and advances the goals of the Planning Office.  “The primary focus of the Planning Office is to concentrate on economic development, housing strategy, and open space issues” according to its web site. How can you tell?

The lack of interest and energy being put forward by the Planning Board on this issue is surprising and disappointing. The issue came to the fore over a year ago during a community forum at Fuller Village that was held to inform the neighborhood and discuss the proposal for a 40B development on Brush Hill Road. The proposal is moving forward despite concerns voiced by town officials, local organizations and neighbors on traffic and environmental impacts. (Find a list of related articles here.) At the Fuller forum, which was 14 months ago, the town’s failure to have a housing production plan was cited, and it was encouraged to initiate the effort to complete one. As Chair Whiteside summarized last Thursday, a town’s Housing Production Plan if certified can prevent unwanted or hostile 40B’s from coming into a community. There are two critical elements to a plan that make it a bit of a hurdle especially in Milton. First, the plan needs to identify sites where affordable housing will be located. Second, the plan needs to commit to having a specific number of affordable housing units built on a yearly basis that will meet the state goal that 10% of a town’s housing inventory be available at an affordable price. For Milton, that number is 46 units according to Mr. Whiteside. Building 45 units of affordable housing will be a challenge.

Affordable housing is not low income housing. It is housing that is within the reach of working people such as policemen, teachers, etc. The issue is widespread throughout the Boston area and is an important dimension to the current discussions and debates on income inequality. There is a strong case to be made for a community making an effort to attract this demographic (see Here comes the Neighborhood as one example, the list goes on).

Identifying sites is a thankless job but one which our leaders should task themselves with. Innes is making that push. At last week’s meeting, she recommended that the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen each make an appointment of a person who would work together with Town Planner Bill Clark and Alan Bishop, an engineer with DPW who manages their GIS efforts, to develop a list of sites. Ms. Innes said she would be prepared to give an update at their meeting on the 27th. Mr. Whiteside agreed though he voiced skepticism on her ability to have a list ready. Ms. Innes reiterated that she could report on the progress even if a list had not been completed.

The developments are coming whether we want them or not. The issue is whether there are sites the town has preference for. To date the only sites targeted are targeted by developers. One is going to sit squarely on one of the town’s most environmentally sensitive areas in town and wreak heaven-knows-what kind of havoc on an area that is already terribly congested. Another site that has been under consideration by a developer is 131 Eliot Street (Hendries). The latter site is a good site for affordable housing; but the town would be better served by the presence of a mixed use development with commercial business present. An effort between the developer and the Board of Selectmen at putting mixed use in has failed. Reasons have not been made public as to why an agreement could not be reached. If a 40B development is successful, the town will have lost one of the best commercial sites left in town to develop.

Innes should be commended for her effort to address a difficult issue. We would hope that the other members of the board would rally behind her and give support to the effort or, if they believe the exercise to be a fruitless one, then say so. Please show some leadership, and if you are not going to do something, at least say something.