Select Board recommends PRD zoning amendment that loosens income thresholds for density bonuses

The Select Board voted May 5 to recommend Town Meeting approve a Planning Board–sponsored zoning amendment to the Planned Residential Development (PRD) density-bonus provisions. The amendment adjusts the income thresholds used to qualify units for density bonuses, increasing some limits so developers can more easily meet the bonus criteria.

Under current PRD bonus rules, single qualifying units must meet a strict 80 percent of area median income (AMI) threshold for the lowest-income share, and when multiple units qualify a 50/50 split of the qualifying units is required between the lower and moderate tiers. The proposed change would raise the qualifying thresholds (for example, adjusting one category from 80% AMI to 110% AMI and adjusting the shared percentage rules) to make it easier for developers to achieve the density bonus while providing some units subject to affordability requirements.

Supporters said the existing bonus criteria had produced few PRD projects and that easing thresholds could incentivize more residential development with some units set aside at lower-cost levels. Some board members noted the policy tradeoff: raising income thresholds increases the number of households that count as ‘‘affordable’’ under the bylaw but reduces the subsidy level needed from a developer to provide those units.

The board moved and passed a recommendation for Town Meeting to approve the zoning change; Select Board members noted that this amendment is intended to spur more PRD proposals, not to be a substitute for other affordable-housing strategies.