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Westborough updates inclusionary zoning: consolidates rules, raises local preference and broadens AMI bands
Summary
Town meeting adopted an inclusionary zoning rewrite consolidating earlier provisions, establishing a 10‑unit threshold to trigger affordability requirements, broadening AMI bands to address more income levels, adding a local‑preference requirement and requiring 25% of affordable units to be handicap accessible; the bylaw passed 135–16 (2/3 required).
The Town of Westborough on Oct. 21 approved a comprehensive update to its inclusionary‑zoning rules. Planner Jenny Gingress said the rewrite consolidates scattered provisions into a single bylaw, sets a minimum 10‑unit threshold for the requirement to apply, adds a calculation method for payments‑in‑lieu and incorporates local preference for current residents, town employees and veterans as priority applicants for affordable units.
Gingress explained that the prior 80% area‑median‑income (AMI) cap did not address gaps in the local housing needs profile, and that the updated structure aims to capture both lower‑income and moderate‑income households (using HUD/Worcester County AMI tables). The amendment also requires 25% of affordable units to be handicap accessible and codifies monitoring/record‑keeping and deed‑restriction requirements to preserve long‑term affordability.
The planning board and the Affordable Housing Trust recommended the change. Town meeting adopted the bylaw by the required two‑thirds margin (135 in favor, 16 opposed). The planning department will publish implementing regulations and monitoring processes and the Affordable Housing Trust will continue to administer deed‑restricted unit accounting.
