Letter to the editor from Alex Whiteside, Chairman, Milton Planning Board
To the Editor:
In the warrant for the May Town Meeting Article 38 (a citizens’ petition for a zoning change) seeks to add a provision to the zoning bylaws to permit development of condominium residences at a certain site in the Residence B zoning district. The Planning Board adopted a recommendation that this proposed site-specific zoning provision be referred by Town Meeting to the Board for further study. The Planning Board advised the proponents of this article that the Board would prepare an article for the October Town Meeting of general application with respect to condominium development in the Town. Such an article would contain restrictions, requirements and standards controlling condominium development in the Town’s residence districts.
Recently the Board has been advised that a developer is interested in developing 36-40 “town house units” on the site of the St. Pius Church rectory. The developer would like to develop these units under amended zoning for condominium zoning to be adopted by the October Town Meeting. There are also other developers actively considering development of condominiums on Truman Parkway next to the Tileston & Hollingsworth paper mill site, on a site next to the proposed assisted living facility near the landfill road, on part of the Carberry land off Canton Avenue, and on the K of C site off Blue Hill Parkway. In addition, condominiums or apartments to be developed under G.L.c. 40B are proposed for the “Milton Mews” land off Brush Hill Road, for land abutting the DPW Yard, and for land near Hillside Street and Ford Ranch Road. 40B developers might be interested in considering use of condominium zoning as an alternative to use of comprehensive permits.
There seems little doubt that if the Town adopts zoning designed to permit condominium development under specified circumstances in residence districts, there will be additional proposals by developers for sites qualifying for those specified circumstances.
The Planning Board has agreed to bring an article regarding condominium development to the Town Meeting for its consideration next October. This is an important matter, as important as any other issue facing the Town. Any new zoning needs to be thoughtfully developed with input from both developers and interested members of the public.
The Planning Board is currently considering proposing a procedure (similar to a procedure which exists in Dover) by which a developer would prepare a preliminary plan for condominium development meeting various zoning requirements including but not limited to land area, access, and siting. Once the Planning Board determined that the preliminary plan met these requirements, the plan would be presented to Town Meeting for a determination whether the plan would serve the public good without substantial detriment. If the Town Meeting determined that the plan would serve the public good without substantial detriment, then the developer would be entitled to apply to the Planning Board for a special permit for the condominium development shown on the plan. The zoning would specify the special permit procedure.
At its meeting on May 15th in the Carol Blute Conference Room of Town Hall at 7:00 PM the Planning Board will conduct a public discussion on the subject of condominium development in the residence areas of Milton. The discussion will address whether condominium development should be permitted and, if so, under what conditions and procedures. The Planning Board urges developers and interested members of the public to attend and share views on the subject. Anyone unable to attend can send a letter to the Board.
Sincerely yours, Alexander Whiteside, Chairman, Milton Planning Board
What happened to the proposal for a hospice facility on the former St. Elizabeth rectory site?
It is far past the time that the Planning Board could have gotten “out in front” of this wave of interest to develop spaces in a nice community bordering so closely on Boston. The Master Plan is even more of a priority. Now more than ever. I believe the citizens of the town want to see unity and a plan. From the board with that name.
For Vicki’s question: groundbreaking for this facility is scheduled for mid-May. Seasons Hospice Foundation, the buyer, has closed on the property and has gone through the state Dept. of Public Health permitting process for the facility.
Work will begin this summer.
Marion McEttrick
Attorney for the Applicant