Arlington Heights Business District Rezoning Presentation - Oct 29th, 2024
Meeting held in the media center of the Pierce School, 85 Park Ave Extension.
(Katie Luczai, Economic Development Coordinator) Ms. Luczai says that work on the Arlington Heights Neighborhood Action Plan started in 2018, and produced a recommendation to rezone parts of Arlington Heights. The area currently consists of four business districts and one industrial district. The recommendation was to consolidate the area's business districts into a single one. It also recommended a rezoning for the former Gold's Gym site. Ms. Luczai says the planning department tabled about this during the last Heights Spring Fling and Town day.
MAPC was the planning consultant, and their task was to identify opportunity areas within the Heights. The plan had four main recommendations:
- Creating a business district for the whole of Arlington Heights
- Rezoning the former Gold's Gym Site
- Creating design standards
- Making better use of the bus depot
Ms. Luczai says the town continues to work with the MBTA, and there have been discussions about how to lease the commercial space in the depot. The building would need some capital investment. We looked at using the site for a public mural, but discovered lead paint.
Elements of the Arts and Culture plan can be seen in the Heights. Examples include the "You are Loved" mural, Haiku in the Heights, and outdoor dining.
Arlington worked on a COVID rapid recovery plan in 2021, in conjunction with Lexington and Bedford. The plan focused on the areas near the Minuteman Bikeway. Arlington installed new bike racks, and added wayfinding signage.
The Heights is currently an array of different business districts. There is no overlap between the proposed Arlington Heights Business districts and the multi-family zoning adopted for the MBTA Communities Act.
The town received a $4M MassWorks grant to improve the roadway around the intersection of Mass Ave and Appleton.
Ms. Luczai says the Arlington Heights Business District would replace the assorted B districts in the area. It would stretch from the Greek Church to the Lexington line.
Changes to the zoning would include: no longer allowing single- and two-family dwellings, light industrial, and vehicle storage; allowing municipal and non-profit recreation and auto service by special permit; and allowing offices, museums, and art galleries by right.
(Jordan Weinstein, attendee) Mr. Weinstein asks if there are provisions for affordable housing.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says the rezoning focuses on businesses and mixed-use.
(Claire Ricker, Planning Director) Ms. Ricker says it's possible to get affordable housing as part of mixed-use. Our current bylaw requires that one in six dwellings be affordable. We could also do something different in the heights.
(Robin Bergman, attendee) Ms. Bergman asks "what does no wholesale businesses mean?". She believes that Roasted Granola sells some of their products wholesale.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says this would be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on what the businesses primary function is.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says we'd have to go back to the 2018 forums to see where that provision came from. She believes that "wholesale business" refers to large warehouses.
(?) Someone asks what "light industrial" means.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says there are many categories of light industrial.
(?) Someone asks how retail will be treated.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says that retail would be allowed by right.
(?) Someone asks if these kinds of changes are being planned for the rest of town.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says this plan is just for Arlington Heights.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says the intention is to have similar plans for the town's other business districts -- Arlington Center and East Arlington. The Heights is the first one going through this process.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says the plan recommends a Planned Unit Development district for the Gold's Gym site. The site is 4 acres and has six businesses. The land alone is assessed at $8.8M dollars. It's all privately owned, and zoned industrial. It's also the largest site for future redevelopment in Arlington Heights.
She says the Gold's Gym would get its own set of zoning. It would allow townhomes, large retail, and medical offices by right. Cable and television facilities would be allowed by special permit. Single-family homes, public works facilities, bus stations, funeral homes, and car washes would not be allowed.
(Jordan Weinstein) Mr. Weinstein thinks that mixed use would be an efficient way to make money, and he thinks we need a sense of what the market would do. He's concerned the town could be relinquishing control, and asks that we consider Arlington's deficit of affordable housing.
(?) Someone asks if we're trying to develop activities around a business theme. They think we should focus on businesses.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says that mixed use is both the goal and the hope.
(?) Someone asks if the owner is willing to sell, or if the town will be taking the property by eminent domain.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says the owner is interested in redeveloping.
(?) Someone asks if train stations will be allowed. They think it would be short-sighted to block a future transportation center in the Heights.
(Adam Auster, attendee) Mr. Auster says the Gold's Gym site provides access to the Minuteman Bikeway, though not through an official route. He hopes there's a plan for better bikeway access in the future.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says there haven't been formal discussions about bikeway connections, but she hopes a more formal connection can be planned in the future.
(Wynelle Evans, attendee) Ms. Evans thought that planned unit developments were supposed to have individually-owned lots, and a homeowner's association. She asks if that's the case here.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says she hasn't heard of an HOA requirement for planned unit development. She says that planned unit development districts are a tool for taking a large piece of property, and doing multiple things with it.
(Ann LeRoyer, attendee) Ms. LeRoyer asks if the parcel could be subject to 40B.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker answers in the affirmative. She says that part of the reason we're here is to get out in front of that.
(Barbara Thornton, attendee) Ms. Thornton says she remembers something about potential bikeway access from Mass Ave, and asks if staff could comment on that.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai isn't sure that will be possible, because of the way Mill Brook crosses the property.
(Kristin Anderson, attendee) Ms. Anderson says she has a three-minute prepared statement that she'd like to read.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says there will be time for that after the presentation.
(?) Someone asks when traffic issues will be considered.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says that traffic is considered during redevelopment, but generally not when formulating the zoning.
(?) Someone asks about the building heights that will be allowed.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says that will be coming in a moment.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says there are actually five different business districts in the heights; the 2018 plan didn't consider the B1 districts near the Lexington Border, but the Redevelopment Board is interested in including them. She says that each business district has its own set of dimensional regulations, including parking requirements, setbacks, and building heights. She says that the zoning among the B districts is more similar than distinct. The set of allowed uses are similar enough to justify a single district. She says the 2018 plan preferred mixed use, with family-sized residential units.
MAPC's recommendations from 2018 included: a minimum lot size of 5000 square feet, a minimum lot area/dwelling unit of 800 square feet, a minimum frontage of 30 feet, 0' front and side yard setbacks, 20' rear yard setbacks, and five stories of height.
That's the end of the presentation, and we're going into the question, answer, and comment section.
(?) An attendee says he's read the whole document, and this proposal would radically transform the neighborhood. He says that's not why he moved here, and thinks that changing the industrial district will reduce economic diversity.
(?) An attendee asks if we can ask new buildings to have setbacks.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says one could take a number of approaches to building setbacks. For example, by taking the average setback over some number of adjacent buildings.
(Barbara Thornton) Ms. Thornton says she appreciates the desire to keep Arlington the way it is, but the town has always been locked in a fiscal crisis. She thinks this will be a way to bring in more uses while keeping the feel of the neighborhood. She thinks it would be wonderful to uncover sections of Mill Brook and turn them into a pedestrian walking area.
(Jordan Weinstein) Mr. Weinstein says it's been six years since the study was done. He thinks there would be more concern about the environment and housing if it were done today. He asks about stormwater requirements and fossil fuel use. He thinks those things could be required here too. He thinks the town has the power to incentivize more affordable housing by using carrots.
(Note: there are requirements for stormwater management and fossil fuel use in buildings. However, these are regulated in the town bylaws and state building codes, rather than in zoning.)
(?) One attendee says the plan excited her, and she supports it. But she does hope that different concerns can be taken into account.
(?) Someone asks about the five-story limit, and whether an affordable housing overlay could potentially take that up to seven.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker answers in the affirmative.
(?) Someone thinks that's what's in the study is above and beyond what people ask for, and that the recommendations aren't aligned with public feedback. They asks how we can get more feedback incorporated.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says there are residents who are interested in more housing, density, and affordable housing. However, this plan is primarily oriented towards businesses. She always hears that our commercial spaces are too old, too small, and too expensive to fit out. She sees this as a way to refresh our commercial spaces.
(?) An attendee says that "we've got a bunch of slum landlords", and that we need incentives to get commercial landlords to do something. She asks if there's an acknowledgment of the need for parking. She asks if there's somewhere that's already like what's being planned for the heights, to help people visualize it.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says it's challenging to find pictures like that, because people often focus on other details in the photo.
(?) There's a question about public access to the Minuteman Bikeway.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says the Minuteman is under MBTA ownership, and they often push back against access requests. But we are trying to work with them.
(?) An attendee says that it's really nice to see an effort at modernizing the Heights, and allowing for more housing and businesses. They imagine there's a path forward to address issues that people are bringing up. They'd like to see the Heights become more vibrant and exciting.
(?) An attendee asks if there's a plan for a new poll, because a lot has changed since 2018. They think the MBTA should allow access to the Minuteman if they want to increase density. They think we should push back against the MBTA.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says the MBTA has been getting more interested in transit-oriented development.
(Kristin Anderson) Ms. Anderson says she runs a business that's located in the Gold's Gym lot. She says the businesses there include a day care and an auto body shop. Several of them are run by women and minorities, and there aren't any vacant spaces. She says it took years for the Arlington Brewing Company to find space in Arlington, and that Arlington doesn't have enough spaces to open businesses. She says that only 6% of Arlington's land is zoned for business. Yes, Arlington needs more housing, but it needs more businesses too. She says the town needs to protect space for businesses. She says that mixed use produces less space for businesses. Over decades, Arlington has lost one business after another. We used to have a hospital and more places to work. Ms. Anderson asks that we protect every square foot that remains for businesses.
(Susan Stamps, attendee) Ms. Stamps thinks that most people here tonight don't know what uses are currently allowed in the heights. She asks a question about townhouses.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says the presentation covered proposed changes in allowed uses, but didn't list existing uses that would continue to be allowed.
(?) Someone wants to confirm that the MBTA Communities act didn't come from the MBTA.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker answers in the affirmative; the MBTA Communities Act came from the state legislature.
(Ann LeRoyer, attendee) Ms. LeRoyer says there hasn't been any mention of open space. She thinks there should be some feeling of the natural environment, and that the natural environment should be protected. She hopes the plan could incorporate playgrounds or parks.
(Susan Stamps) Ms. Stamps thinks it would be great to require pocket parks.
(Marina Popova, attendee) Ms. Popova has concerns about zero setbacks. She'd like more space for trees, and doesn't think the sidewalks have enough space for them.
(Jordan Weinstein) Ms. Weinstein asks what the next steps are, before this goes to the ARB.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says the plan is to take this to town meeting in April. She says it's clear that we need more opportunities for input.
(?) There's a question about trees that were cut down on the Gold's Gym site, near the bikeway.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says the Conservation Commission is aware of this, and looking into the matter.
(Wynelle Evans, attendee) Ms. Evans says there are people already living in apartments in this district, and she thinks there should be a plan for these tenants. She says that buildings like 887 Mass Ave are her worst nightmare, and that Arlington needs design guidelines.
(Robin Bergman) Ms. Bergman says she's lived here since 1980, and this is first time that the district has felt vibrant. She notes that Arlington has a small commercial tax base.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker agrees that it would be beneficial to increase Arlington's commercial tax base.
(Grant Cook) Mr. Cook thinks the area around the Heights is fairly close to being a 15-minute neighborhood. He says the only way to get more commercial tax revenue is to get new buildings. He thinks the Heights has a number of buildings that don't look too good right now.
(?) Someone asks if the town has any sense of what the owners want.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says that Arlington's zoning has deterred landlords from maintaining their properties, and some are interested in redeveloping.
(Anton Rapidov, attendee) Mr. Rapidov like the plan. He says it's good, and that it will make Arlington better. He thinks this will bring in more businesses.
(?) Someone asks if there's a relocation fund for existing businesses.
(Katie Luczai) Ms. Luczai says there's a statewide fund for vacant storefront districts, which might be usable for that purpose.
(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says the town doesn't have a relocation fund for businesses, but that is something we can look at.
Meeting adjourned.