Economic development staff outlined the status of the Chestnut Hill commercial area study during the Select Board meeting on Sept. 30, describing zoning recommendations, design guidelines, a transportation study and a strategy to incentivize net new commercial tax growth while improving pedestrian and public‑realm conditions.

Meredith Mooney, the town’s economic development director, said the preferred approach is a special district overlay with four subdistricts and design guidance to shape building massing and public realm improvements. “We’re about halfway through the zoning process for that,” Mooney said, adding the team had presented a draft to the community advisory group and received initial feedback.

Key policy features discussed: staff presented a framework that includes increasing allowed uses (particularly to free up dated office parcels), setting dimensional controls (height, floor‑area ratio), and — for higher‑impact subdistricts — requiring a minimum amount of commercial space in any mixed‑use redevelopment. The staff’s draft sets a baseline minimum commercial requirement at 51 percent of gross floor area for the highest‑impact subdistrict; projects that reach a higher commercial threshold could access additional height/FAR bonuses (example thresholds discussed: 3.0 FAR baseline, bonus to 3.5 or 4.0–4.5 FAR depending on meeting commercial share criteria).

Mooney said the town will also assemble design guidelines with visual standards, a transportation study (to stress‑test the existing network for added density), and memoranda of agreement with large property owners to provide “tax certainty” and other protections in the near term. Staff said they will prepare zoning warrant articles and related authorization articles (MOAs/tax certainty) in time for Spring 2026 Town Meeting if the board and community are ready.

City Realty, a developer with a concept for the Chestnut Hill Office Park, presented a revised site concept in which building orientation was rotated to reduce perceived heights from adjacent homes; staff said the developer’s current concept exceeds the draft zoning in several respects (height and open space) and remains under negotiation.

Next steps: community advisory group meetings are scheduled through late fall and early winter; staff plan to finalize the study report and draft warrant language before the late‑February warrant filing deadline for Spring 2026 Town Meeting.