Re: [LincolnTalk] Brookline passes HCA rezoning

[Bijoy Misra]

This is what exactly our Select Board should do.
Allow a vote for the town to accept the policy of rezoning the Center
as a principle. Let various groups and neighbors express themselves.
Let it be democratic.  Once we decide rezoning, we go to the next
step of what's doable and how we can do it.
It is easy to check that Lincoln Road at the train station is not
Harvard Street in Brrokline.  We have to do a massive traffic
study than romantically think that people will take a bag and
walk to the grocery (and the store would be removed!).
We have to first create four lane road in the area and
configure space for two thousand new people (sanitation, school,
parking and outdoor space).
At the moment, we should stall of the apartment creation
and let the town vote on rezoning the Center.  We can continue to
create houses in other spaces where traffic impact will be less.
Later on we may envision that Lincoln Road has a 500 ft commercial
corridor as a business district.  It has to be planned and designed
and not rushed.
Best regards,
Bijoy Misra

On Wed, Nov 15, 2023 at 7:39 AM Bob Mason  wrote:

>
> https://brookline.news/town-meeting-passes-major-rezoning-likely-to-reshape-harvard-street/
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Brookline passes HCA rezoning (which likely increases housing by a small percent)

[Scott Clary]

Thank you Karla for your careful analysis and references to put things in
context.

Kind Regards,

Scott Clary
617-968-5769

Sent from a mobile device - please excuse typos and brevity

On Wed, Nov 15, 2023, 1:41 PM Karla Gravis  wrote:

> It is important to understand the context for Brookline:
>
>- Brookline followed a 2-pronged approach: the technical compliance
>with the law is being done through the first prong, what they call the
>"M-District+" portion. It changes the zoning rules in districts in
>town that are already zoned for multi-family housing, and rezones a few
>other specific sites. From the article linked below: "*There’s general
>agreement that this will not actually lead to much, if any, new development
>specifically springing from the rezoning.*" *According to their
>planning board, at the most, this rezoning would lead to a ~2.5% increase
>in housing stock.*
>- They had a second prong to rezone Harvard street. According to
>Brookline's own planning board, this prong is expected to add 800 units. 
> *The
>Harvard St rezoning will likely only add ~3% to the existing housing 
> stock.*
>- By contrast, we are being asked to vote on rezoning proposals that
>could potentially increase Lincoln's housing stock by 25%-30%.
>
> *Additional important nuances:*
>
>- Brookline is considered a "rapid transit" community. The deadline to
>comply for this type of community is *December of 2023*, which is why
>they had to vote on it now. Lincoln, as a "commuter rail" community, has a
>deadline of December 2024. *If we were to follow Brookline's timing,
>Lincoln would be able to vote November of next year.*
>- *Brookline passed their zoning with 15% affordable housing. Lincoln
>has confirmed we can only require 10%.*
>- The Brookline Selects worked very closely with 2 advocacy groups in
>Brookline: "Brookline by Design" and "Yes! In Brookline" and multiple civic
>groups, including the Chamber of Commerce. From the article:  "(...) over
>months of conversation, culminating in weeks of intense negotiations led by
>Select Board Member Paul Warren, Brookline by Design and its frequent
>sparring partner, the housing advocacy group Yes! In Brookline, came to an
>agreement on a set of amendments that both felt met the moment."
>Consesus-driven process at work.
>
>
>
>
> https://brookline.news/explainer-brooklines-mbta-communities-law-rezoning-plan/
>
> [image: image.png]
>
>
>
>> -- Forwarded message -
>> From: John Mendelson 
>> Date: Wed, Nov 15, 2023 at 09:27
>> Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Brookline passes HCA rezoning
>> To: pamontie montie.net , LincolnTalk <
>> lincoln@lincolntalk.org>
>>
>>
>> The 800 unit figure for Brookline is not accurate.  The theoretical total
>> fror Brookline is 6,990 units with the Globe citing 1,540 as possible per
>> town officials.  See:
>>
>>
>> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/15/metro/brookline-overwhelmingly-accepts-plan-rezone-its-major-commercial-corridor-allow-multifamily-housing/
>>
>> And Brookline is planning to submit with a higher percentage of
>> affordable housing (15%) which is something I am hopeful we will do also.
>>
>> *For example, the town plan now calls for 15 percent of all housing built
>> in the newly rezoned area along Harvard Street to be affordable. That’s the
>> same share in the rest of town, under Brookline’s inclusionary zoning
>> policy, which covers projects of four to 10 units; however, that policy
>> allows developers to contribute the money to a housing fund for the units
>> to be built elsewhere. This will require actual construction of affordable
>> housing units along Harvard Street.*
>>
>> John
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 15, 2023 at 9:00 AM pamontie montie.net 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> A lot to think about with Brookline’s response to the HCA.
>>>
>>> Just to put things in perspective, Brookline (a town with over 26,000
>>> housing units) has just passed rezoning that could result in “up to 800
>>> units” raising their existing housing stock by “nearly 3%” and is
>>> characterized as going "well beyond the basic requirements of complying
>>> with the law.”
>>>
>>> If Lincoln were to do the same, a 3 percent increase in housing stock
>>> would be roughly 63 units. Lincoln (currently 2,078 housing units-excluding
>>> Hanscom) is being asked to rezone for 635 units which is a housing increase

Re: [LincolnTalk] Brookline passes HCA rezoning (which likely increases housing by a small percent)

[Karla Gravis]

It is important to understand the context for Brookline:

   - Brookline followed a 2-pronged approach: the technical compliance with
   the law is being done through the first prong, what they call the
   "M-District+" portion. It changes the zoning rules in districts in town
   that are already zoned for multi-family housing, and rezones a few other
   specific sites. From the article linked below: "*There’s general
   agreement that this will not actually lead to much, if any, new development
   specifically springing from the rezoning.*" *According to their planning
   board, at the most, this rezoning would lead to a ~2.5% increase in housing
   stock.*
   - They had a second prong to rezone Harvard street. According to
   Brookline's own planning board, this prong is expected to add 800
units. *The
   Harvard St rezoning will likely only add ~3% to the existing housing stock.*
   - By contrast, we are being asked to vote on rezoning proposals that
   could potentially increase Lincoln's housing stock by 25%-30%.

*Additional important nuances:*

   - Brookline is considered a "rapid transit" community. The deadline to
   comply for this type of community is *December of 2023*, which is why
   they had to vote on it now. Lincoln, as a "commuter rail" community, has a
   deadline of December 2024. *If we were to follow Brookline's timing,
   Lincoln would be able to vote November of next year.*
   - *Brookline passed their zoning with 15% affordable housing. Lincoln
   has confirmed we can only require 10%.*
   - The Brookline Selects worked very closely with 2 advocacy groups in
   Brookline: "Brookline by Design" and "Yes! In Brookline" and multiple civic
   groups, including the Chamber of Commerce. From the article:  "(...) over
   months of conversation, culminating in weeks of intense negotiations led by
   Select Board Member Paul Warren, Brookline by Design and its frequent
   sparring partner, the housing advocacy group Yes! In Brookline, came to an
   agreement on a set of amendments that both felt met the moment."
   Consesus-driven process at work.



https://brookline.news/explainer-brooklines-mbta-communities-law-rezoning-plan/

[image: image.png]



> -- Forwarded message -
> From: John Mendelson 
> Date: Wed, Nov 15, 2023 at 09:27
> Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Brookline passes HCA rezoning
> To: pamontie montie.net , LincolnTalk <
> lincoln@lincolntalk.org>
>
>
> The 800 unit figure for Brookline is not accurate.  The theoretical total
> fror Brookline is 6,990 units with the Globe citing 1,540 as possible per
> town officials.  See:
>
>
> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/15/metro/brookline-overwhelmingly-accepts-plan-rezone-its-major-commercial-corridor-allow-multifamily-housing/
>
> And Brookline is planning to submit with a higher percentage of affordable
> housing (15%) which is something I am hopeful we will do also.
>
> *For example, the town plan now calls for 15 percent of all housing built
> in the newly rezoned area along Harvard Street to be affordable. That’s the
> same share in the rest of town, under Brookline’s inclusionary zoning
> policy, which covers projects of four to 10 units; however, that policy
> allows developers to contribute the money to a housing fund for the units
> to be built elsewhere. This will require actual construction of affordable
> housing units along Harvard Street.*
>
> John
>
> On Wed, Nov 15, 2023 at 9:00 AM pamontie montie.net 
> wrote:
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> A lot to think about with Brookline’s response to the HCA.
>>
>> Just to put things in perspective, Brookline (a town with over 26,000
>> housing units) has just passed rezoning that could result in “up to 800
>> units” raising their existing housing stock by “nearly 3%” and is
>> characterized as going "well beyond the basic requirements of complying
>> with the law.”
>>
>> If Lincoln were to do the same, a 3 percent increase in housing stock
>> would be roughly 63 units. Lincoln (currently 2,078 housing units-excluding
>> Hanscom) is being asked to rezone for 635 units which is a housing increase
>> of around 30%?
>>
>> I’m not necessarily opposed to housing increases but it makes you wonder
>> what is appropriate for a town our size. As it stands our multifamily
>> *existing* housing stock is around 860 units, which is roughly 40% of
>> Lincoln’s total housing stock.
>>
>> Trying to figure this out along with everyone else in town...
>> _
>> Paul Montie
>>
>>
>> On Nov 15, 2023, at 7:39 AM, Bob Mason  wrote:
>>
>>
>> https://brookline.news/town-meeting-passes-major-rezoning-likely-to-reshape-harvard-street/
>> --

Re: [LincolnTalk] Brookline passes HCA rezoning

[John Mendelson]

The 800 unit figure for Brookline is not accurate.  The theoretical total
fror Brookline is 6,990 units with the Globe citing 1,540 as possible per
town officials.  See:


https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/15/metro/brookline-overwhelmingly-accepts-plan-rezone-its-major-commercial-corridor-allow-multifamily-housing/

And Brookline is planning to submit with a higher percentage of affordable
housing (15%) which is something I am hopeful we will do also.

*For example, the town plan now calls for 15 percent of all housing built
in the newly rezoned area along Harvard Street to be affordable. That’s the
same share in the rest of town, under Brookline’s inclusionary zoning
policy, which covers projects of four to 10 units; however, that policy
allows developers to contribute the money to a housing fund for the units
to be built elsewhere. This will require actual construction of affordable
housing units along Harvard Street.*

John

On Wed, Nov 15, 2023 at 9:00 AM pamontie montie.net 
wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> A lot to think about with Brookline’s response to the HCA.
>
> Just to put things in perspective, Brookline (a town with over 26,000
> housing units) has just passed rezoning that could result in “up to 800
> units” raising their existing housing stock by “nearly 3%” and is
> characterized as going "well beyond the basic requirements of complying
> with the law.”
>
> If Lincoln were to do the same, a 3 percent increase in housing stock
> would be roughly 63 units. Lincoln (currently 2,078 housing units-excluding
> Hanscom) is being asked to rezone for 635 units which is a housing increase
> of around 30%?
>
> I’m not necessarily opposed to housing increases but it makes you wonder
> what is appropriate for a town our size. As it stands our multifamily
> *existing* housing stock is around 860 units, which is roughly 40% of
> Lincoln’s total housing stock.
>
> Trying to figure this out along with everyone else in town...
> _
> Paul Montie
>
>
> On Nov 15, 2023, at 7:39 AM, Bob Mason  wrote:
>
>
> https://brookline.news/town-meeting-passes-major-rezoning-likely-to-reshape-harvard-street/
> --
> The LincolnTalk mailing list.
> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org.
> Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/
> .
> Change your subscription settings at
> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
>
>
> --
> The LincolnTalk mailing list.
> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org.
> Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/
> .
> Change your subscription settings at
> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
>
>
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Brookline passes HCA rezoning

[pamontie montie . net]

Hi All,

A lot to think about with Brookline’s response to the HCA.

Just to put things in perspective, Brookline (a town with over 26,000 housing 
units) has just passed rezoning that could result in “up to 800 units” raising 
their existing housing stock by “nearly 3%” and is characterized as going "well 
beyond the basic requirements of complying with the law.”

If Lincoln were to do the same, a 3 percent increase in housing stock would be 
roughly 63 units. Lincoln (currently 2,078 housing units-excluding Hanscom) is 
being asked to rezone for 635 units which is a housing increase of around 30%?

I’m not necessarily opposed to housing increases but it makes you wonder what 
is appropriate for a town our size. As it stands our multifamily existing 
housing stock is around 860 units, which is roughly 40% of Lincoln’s total 
housing stock.

Trying to figure this out along with everyone else in town...
_
Paul Montie


On Nov 15, 2023, at 7:39 AM, Bob Mason 
mailto:robertma...@gmail.com>> wrote:

https://brookline.news/town-meeting-passes-major-rezoning-likely-to-reshape-harvard-street/
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[LincolnTalk] Brookline passes HCA rezoning

[Bob Mason]

https://brookline.news/town-meeting-passes-major-rezoning-likely-to-reshape-harvard-street/
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