The Land Use Committee voted to hold the following (see the report and watch the meeting video):
- Request to amend Special Permit #426-18 at 55 Tower Road (Northland Pattern District LLC): High vacancy rates of 31% for office space in the region have required Northland to change their plans for the site.
- Northland proposes increasing housing by converting the historic mill building into a residential loft-style building, that includes 4 more affordable units bringing the number of total residential units from 800 to 822, with 144 affordable. Converting the Sako Mill, which is on the National Register and subject to a Memorandum of Understanding with the Massachusetts Historical Commission to housing requires a waiver from sustainability requirements in the stretch energy code’s Passive House requirements.
- They propose eliminating 5 buildings, 1 small building at the corner of Oak and Chestnut will become open space, 4 other buildings along the Upper Falls Greenway will become 216 surface parking spots. Covered bike storage remains unchanged at a minimum of 1,100 spots. Underground garage residential parking will be reduced to 855 spots. Total non-bike parking will be reduced from 1,350 to 1,070. They project total trip generation will be 13% less than the original estimate. Impervious surfaces would be reduced by 1.1 acres.
- Retail and restaurant space will be reduced from 115,000 square feet to 96,000.
- Office space will be reduced from 193,200 square feet to 5,000 for Medical Office units.
- 85% of the project, including the Needham St frontage, will remain unchanged. These changes should dramatically reduce weekday peak traffic projections.
- Mitigation payments: $5 mill for traffic mitigation; 1.85 mill for municipal infrastructure improvements, $1.5 for Countryside School and a Community splash park are maintained in the proposal.
- Shuttle service to the Newton Highlands T will be provided “during peak periods” 3-4 hours morning and afternoon with about a 25-minute wait between shuttles.
- Questions were raised by the public and councilors on the economic impact of changing commercial to residential and whether office space is in demand or not. The Committee chair, Councilor Kelley, said the City would need to get back to this question.
- People spoke for and against reducing parking.
Present: Councilors Kelley (Chair), Block, Downs, Farrell, Laredo, Leary, Lobovits, and Lucas
Also Present: Councilors Albright, Bixby, Getz, Humphrey, Krintzman, Malakie, Oliver and Wright
City Staff Present: Chief Planner Katie Whewell, Assistant City Solicitor Jonah Temple, Deputy
Director of Planning Jennifer Caira