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GREENFIELD — The Economic Development Committee is unanimously recommending to City Council that multi-family dwellings with 24 units or less be allowed by right, and that housing developments with 25 or more units be allowed by special permit in the semi-residential district. The proposed zoning amendment is one of the remaining four in a housing ordinance package originally proposed by At-Large Councilor John Garrett, which aims to increase housing density and ramp up the city’s housing production. The Economic Development Committee voted on the proposed amendment after a joint public hearing with the Planning Board on Tuesday that followed the board’s recommendation that City Council work toward a compromise by finding a threshold for multi-family buildings by right.
Noting that the Planning Board will hold its own public hearing on the issue on Jan. 2, Planning Board Chair George Touloumtzis said the board would withhold its deliberation on the issue. Touloumtzis did, however, summarize the board’s prior deliberations on the issue, explaining that Planning Board members hoped to find a threshold that would not burden small, local developers with the costly process of a site plan review and special permit, but would also ensure that abutters to a larger proposed development retain a forum to voice their concerns through the special permit process.
“We were looking for a recommendation from you for the number [of units],” Touloumtzis told the Economic Development Committee. “We had endorsed a general idea of a compromise where up to a certain number of units could be by right and above that would require a special permit, and the number we talked about was a range from six to 10 units.” After Garrett suggested that the committee vote to recommend the threshold of 24 housing units, At-Large Councilor Wahab Minhas expressed support for the proposed bylaw, explaining he feels it’s a fair compromise to ensure that multi-family housing can be built more easily, without allowing large development firms and real estate investors to build larger housing projects without community review.
“I think this is a great idea because it brings a compromise. There’s been a lot of conversation with the public and a lot of concern. I think this quells this push to get more housing in Greenfield without breaking down that public process and people’s engagement,” Minhas said.
“This is good. I agree with the number. It sounds reasonable.
” Precinct 9 City Councilor Derek Helie echoed Minhas’ comments on the threshold recommendation, adding that given the size and character of the city’s semi-residential district, 24 units or less would make for a reasonable multi-family structure size to allow by right. Article continues after..
. Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess Planning Board Vice Chair Jeff Sauser noted he had spent a few days meeting with developers in an effort to determine the most reasonable threshold at which a special permit should be necessary. An arbitrary number, he said, might unnecessarily burden, and ward off, housing developments.
“I spoke to some developers, and while there’s no firm, obvious number, what we don’t want is a special permit for a two-family house to the point where you can never do one,” Sauser said. “What you don’t want is for a special permit to become a burden such that we can’t get the type of housing we want.” The housing amendment will go before the Planning Board for an additional public hearing on Jan.
2 prior to a City Council vote expected in January. Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected] or 413-930-4429.
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