Somerville council adopts affordable-housing overlay for Mountain Avenue after resident concerns

The Borough of Somerville Council on May 18 adopted Ordinance 27-96, creating an affordable-housing overlay for Block 153 Lot 4.22 (Mountain Avenue) to align that parcel with the borough’s approved fair-share housing plan.

At a re-noticed public hearing required because a notice was sent to the wrong address for the parcel, residents asked how the overlay and density limits will be enforced and whether a developer could apply a six-units-per-acre density to the parcel's full five acres.

“My main question tonight is, what provisions are in place for this situation going forward?” Tim Cullen of 285 West Summit Street asked, calling the Mountain Avenue parcel “massive” and saying he worried the same development pattern could occur across the street from his home.

A second commenter, Eileen Foley of 28 Prospect Street, asked whether the gross-density calculation in section J (six units per acre) could be applied to the parcel’s full five acres rather than the 3.3 acres used in the housing-element analysis.

Mayor Brian Gallagher and staff answered that the parcel contains wetlands and flood-hazard areas that are excluded from the developable acreage used in the density calculation. “The reason why the five acres weren’t in the calculation is because it’s wetlands or flood hazard or stream. Therefore it’s—you would need an individual permit,” said Mike, a staff member, explaining that the analysis discounts wetlands and flood hazard and is limited to uplands.

Gallagher said the borough has adopted an overlay that requires affordable housing as part of any new housing development and specified the borough’s targets: depending on whether housing is for rent or sale, projects must include about 15% or 20% affordable units. For smaller multifamily projects with fewer than five units, the borough requires compensation to the affordable-housing trust fund instead of on-site units.

Council members moved and seconded adoption after discussion. Roll call recorded affirmative votes from the council members present; the two members listed as excused remained so in the record.

The ordinance leaves the parcel zoned R-1 (single-family) while allowing an affordable-housing overlay and adjusts certain lot-size calculations (the ordinance notes a change from 10,000 square-foot lots to 7,000 square-foot lots where relevant). Officials also noted there is no active development plan for the Mountain Avenue site at this time.

The ordinance was adopted at the meeting and will proceed according to borough implementation procedures.