Tell Us: Should Norton Vote for 40B Reform?

Currently, Norton has 6,707 units of housing available in the town and would need 671 affordable units to make state-mandated goal.

Last month, selectmen voted 5-0 to allow a new town meeting warrant article in May that would allow the town to seek special Norton-only legislation concerning Chapter 40B, helping Norton to fill its quota. The warrant article at the special town meeting would, if passed by a counted majority, allow the town to count the 310 units currently in planning towards the Massachusetts Affordable Housing statute 10 percent goal.  Would you vote 'Yes' for this reform? Why or why not?

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Campanelli Thorndike 40B Project to Move Forward

Turtle Crossing not enough to invoke 2 percent Safe Harbor rule.

The progress on the Turtle Crossing development is not enough to deny the permit application process of Campanelli Thorndike Norton, LLC under the 2 percent Safe Harbor rule. The Zoning Board of Appeals made this determination at a public hearing Monday night, after receiving counsel from the Department of Housing and Community Development. Massachusetts has mandated that at least 10 percent of every city and town’s housing qualifies as affordable. The 2 percent Safe Harbor rule would have allowed the Board to deny the application outright before going through with the rest of the public hearing if it was determined that the town made sufficient progress in the 12 months prior to this application being filed this past fall toward building …

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Campanelli Bill Creates $150k Deficit

Proposed 40 B housing sewer permit to be denied until bill paid.

Residents may be asked to address a $154,000 deficit in the water and sewer department budget at the next Town Meeting, due to the failure of developer Campanelli Corporation to pay an outstanding bill for sewer capacity.  The unpaid bill has thrown the water and sewer enterprise account out of balance, and the state has now refused to ratify the town’s tax rate for the coming year.  Selectmen expressed their displeasure at the unforeseen development at Thursday’s joint meeting of the finance committee, water and sewer commission, and the board, saying the current request for a sewer permit for Campanelli’s proposed Chapter 40 B housing project on East Main Street will be denied unless the developer comes up with the money.  “We need to …

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PATCH FACTS

5 Things Nov. 15: Pajama Day, Hurricane Help and More

Your Patch Facts for the day.

Things You Need to Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section. 1. Pajama Day Today is Pajama Day at Henri A. Yelle Elementary School. Students can pay $1 and bring in a non-perishable food item to wear their PJ’s to school. Fun beaded necklaces will be available for students to purchase for $.50. The proceeds from Pajama Day will be donated to The Norton Food Pantry and local families in need. The Helping Hands will decorate boxes for the food collection and make flyers to support the school’s annual food drive. 2. Cardiac Prevention Clinic The Cardiac Prevention Clinic is a monthly event …

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40B Project Back on the Table

New Turtle Crossing developer makes more environmentally acceptable design.

Plans for the Chapter 40 B multiple housing project known as Turtle Crossing have resurfaced after four years on the back burner, recast into what the new developer says is a design with less environmental impact and a more efficient layout.  Turtle Crossing’s first developer was Nick Mirrione, and the project was permitted by the zoning board under the state’s Comprehensive Permit regulations in 2008.  New developers Roberto Arista and Marc Daigle of Dakota Partners told selectmen the complex will still offer the original 176 units, but will cut the number of bedrooms by 56, because 56 of the units will be changed from two-bedroom to one-bedroom apartments.  While the original plans called for multiple two-story buildings that “meandered …

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Affordable Housing Still an Issue in Norton

Town faces new Chapter 40B challenge on development off Route 123.

An old problem is coming back to challenge Norton officials. Once again, the town is facing the possibility of a Chapter 40B affordable housing project, and once again the town’s boards and committees find themselves with limited means by which to try and stop the development. For those who don’t know, Chapter 40B is a law that allows developers to bypass local zoning regulations if they are building in a town where the level of “affordable housing” as determined by the state is under ten percent. They must agree to make at least 25 percent of the homes they build “affordable."  It was enacted to try and make sure towns like Norton would not consist of nothing but high-priced homes, thus making it near impossible for the “middle class” to …

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Bill Gouveia

10:57 am on Thursday, July 7, 2011

Thanks Mark, I will look at it for sure. There are many 40B horror stories out there, and a good number of sucesses as well. It is a tough law, and I'm not sure what the best solution is to fix it.   more ›