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Planning board approves 26-unit permanent supportive housing at 197 State Street
Summary
The planning board adopted a negative environmental declaration and approved a special use permit and major site plan for a four‑story, 26‑unit apartment building at 197 State Street. Staff noted parking and stormwater questions were addressed in the site plan approval.
The Planning Board on March 4 approved a special use permit and a major site plan to construct a four‑story, 26,492‑square‑foot apartment building at 197 State Street, clearing the way for 26 one‑bedroom units developed by Housing Visions Consultants Incorporated.
Staff presented a recommended environmental finding and asked the board to adopt a resolution issuing a negative declaration. "The proposed demolition of an existing building and construction of a four story, 26,492 square foot apartment building on an existing developed site in a neighborhood commercial zone is not anticipated to result in a significant adverse environmental impact," Planning staff member Ashley Calderon told the board. The board voted to adopt the negative declaration and then approved the special use permit and major site plan.
The developer will build on roughly the same footprint as the existing structure; the design sets the new building back slightly from the sidewalk to add frontage green space and was shifted north to provide a 10‑foot gap between the fence and the building at the request of the fire department, the applicant said. An applicant representative said the project will operate as permanent supportive housing with year‑long leases; eight of the units will include supportive services and the remainder will be standard year‑long leases.
Board members asked about parking and whether an exception for this project could create a precedent. "If another applicant were to come forward at another location and request [a waiver], I think we would be requesting a similar analysis that they had a consultant do for them," board member Andy Tehan said. Staff noted a parking analysis had been prepared for this application and that parking is included as part of the special use permit and site plan approval rather than as a separate resolution.
The board voted on two motions related to the application. The board first adopted the negative declaration (mover: Andy Tehan; second: Theresa Walsh) and then approved the special use permit and major site plan (mover: Theresa Walsh; second: Fran Deloia). Ashley Calderon called the roll; Andy Tehan, Fran Deloia, Theresa Walsh, Amy Sargent and Crystal Cosentino all voted yes on both measures.
The board’s approvals allow the project to proceed through permitting and building plan review; staff noted stormwater connections will tie into existing drains and that the development’s pre‑ and post‑development runoff calculations are essentially unchanged from the current condition. The applicant will continue coordinating final details — including any remaining parking clarifications — with staff as part of site plan implementation.
