Town Meeting article would revamp Highway Business District

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Town Meeting article would revamp Highway Business District
One of the articles before Westborough Town Meeting would replace a zoning bylaw with the “Highway Business Zoning District Development.” (Photo/Laura Hayes)

WESTBOROUGH – A warrant article in this fall’s Special Town Meeting seeks to introduce more mixed-used and creative designs to Turnpike Road.

Sponsored by the Planning Department, the article, if approved, would replace the town’s zoning bylaw, “Multifamily Housing in Highway Business District,” with a new bylaw, “Highway Business Zoning District Development.”

The district includes the majority of land fronting Route 9 lying west of Connector Road. The area is highlighted by a series of shopping centers; restaurants; other commercial uses; and multifamily residential developments.

The bylaw would allow additional flexibility for development in the Highway Business District in exchange for providing public benefit amenities and/or a sustainable design, while maintaining an appropriate mix and scale of development.

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During a presentation to the Advisory Finance Committee on Monday, Sept. 16, Town Planner Jenny Gingras said the biggest proposed adjustment would be the minimum open space requirement.

Currently, the open space requirement is at 60%, which is well above the requirement set by other communities.

Gingras told the committee that the requirement is one of the reasons behind the office building vacancies along Turnpike Road.

“It discourages developers” from revamping the space, she said. “We lose out on a lot of that.”

In exchange for a reduction in open space, a potential developer could offer “a public benefit amenity,” such as a donation of undeveloped land to the town; sustainable design in development; contribution of a fee; or a combination.

According to Gingras, the exchange would be based on a point system, with a potential development earning up to 12 points. The minimum for open space would not go below 30%.

In addition to the open space requirement, the proposed changes would allow more flexibility for all types of development within the district. This could include height and setback adjustments to accommodate solar panels and heat pumps; additional bicycle parking. Such flexibility would still require a special permit from the Planning Board.

The changes would also encourage developers to use more sustainable design, such as energy efficiency and resource conservation.

According to Gingras, the current zoning along Turnpike Road has “not yielded the desired results or benefits of open space.” Also, the zoning “locks the applicant into a specific design” instead of using more creative designs with multiple uses.

For example, “We see a lot of car dealerships with large parking lots … with grass medians to accommodate [the minimum open space requirement of 60%],” she said.

Learn more about this Planning Department’s zoning articles for Town Meeting at https://www.westboroughma.gov/1313/Town-Meeting-Zoning-Articles

The Special Town Meeting will convene on Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

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