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Town Manager urges balanced growth: housing, commercial development and bylaw updates on the table
Summary
Michael Borg said North Attleborough is facing an affordable housing challenge, outlined plans for economic development including a multiuse overlay and a revised new‑and‑used car bylaw, and urged balancing housing with commercial and industrial growth to avoid stress on schools and services.
Town Manager Michael Borg told viewers the administration is working on economic development and housing strategies that aim to balance residential growth with commercial and industrial development.
Borg said the economic development subcommittee would discuss strategies to move the town into its next phase and mentioned a multiuse overlay bylaw and a revised new‑and‑used car bylaw coming to the council. "We're going to try and position North Attleboro to take advantage and expand our commercial and industrial base slightly uh while managing our housing development," he said.
Addressing housing affordability, Borg said North Attleborough faces pressures and that the town's affordable‑housing metric had fallen: "North Attleborough is facing an affordable housing crisis ... we've slipped under three," he said. He warned that if growth is only housing it can strain schools, traffic and utilities and increase the risk of an unfavored 40B development. Borg urged a three‑part approach: administration strategy, council support through bylaws, and community alignment.
Borg also commented on the nearby mall as part of the commercial conversation, saying the town would like to see private partners step up maintenance and investment to make the site productive for the community.
What's next: The administration will bring bylaw changes and economic development proposals to the council and work with the economic development subcommittee and residents on the specifics.
