Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Highway Business topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee backs zoning change to reduce highway‑business open‑space requirement, members voice concerns
Summary
Advisory Finance Committee recommended amending Westborough zoning bylaws for the highway business district to reduce the open‑space requirement from 60% to 30% while adding new developer obligations; supporters said it encourages redevelopment, opponents warned of added ‘hoops’ and long‑term maintenance costs for gifted parcels.
The Town of Westborough Advisory Finance Committee on Sept. 19 recommended that town meeting amend the zoning bylaws for the highway business district to reduce the required open‑space allotment from 60% to 30% and adopt a point‑based approach for certain developer obligations.
Supporters said the change makes the district more competitive and focused on usable, contiguous open space rather than small islands of landscaping in parking fields. Opponents argued the revised requirements add complexity and could result in parcels being gifted to the town that may carry long‑term maintenance costs.
Why it matters: Article 17 alters the town’s approach to commercial redevelopment along a major corridor. Proponents expect it to encourage investment by reducing a quantitative open‑space floor while steering higher‑quality, publicly usable open spaces to more appropriate locations; opponents worry the net effect could make development less attractive or impose hidden costs on taxpayers.
Discussion highlights: Committee members asked what metrics would be used to judge success and whether reductions in the percentage requirement would be measurable. One member urged periodic review (two‑ to three‑year check‑ins) to evaluate whether the change is inhibiting development or creating unwanted maintenance burdens. The committee heard that planning‑board deliberations framed the proposal as shifting open space from numerous small islands to larger, more accessible public areas.
Votes: The motion to recommend the town vote to amend the bylaws was moved and seconded; recorded roll‑call votes shown in the meeting indicate seven members voted in favor and two opposed.
What’s next: The committee’s recommendation will go to the fall town meeting for final action. Committee members said staff and the planning board’s materials (including maps and scoring criteria) should be available to town meeting members before the vote.
Quote: “I think we should be encouraging development in the highway business district as opposed to making it more difficult,” one committee member said; another cautioned that gifted parcels might cost the town in long‑term upkeep.
