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Planning board and Open Space Committee discuss expanding Open Space Residential Design bylaw to more zones
Summary
Committee members reviewed a draft amendment to the town’s Open Space Residential Design bylaw to expand its applicability into Residential C and downtown neighborhood districts, change it from a special‑permit to a by‑right use, and raise required open space from 35% to 50%; members agreed to revisit the draft after planning-board review and to discuss it at the January meeting.
Carter briefed committee members on a draft revision to the Open Space Residential Design bylaw. The proposed changes would expand the bylaw’s applicability from Residential A/B to include Residential C and the downtown neighborhood district, convert the existing special-permit pathway into a by‑right option, and raise the minimum open-space requirement from 35 percent to 50 percent.
Carter said the change is intended to give greater flexibility to developers and landowners while increasing the percentage of conserved land in any development. He said planning-board consideration is ongoing and that the committee should wait for the planning board’s deliberations before taking further action. Members agreed to add the revised bylaw to the Open Space Committee’s January agenda so the committee can review the planning-board version and determine whether to recommend the amended approach as part of town meeting materials.
Next steps: Planner Laurie Connors and committee staff will provide the current draft to members ahead of the January meeting and the committee will consider any conservation-related recommendations after planning-board hearings.
