Consultant: two Lynnfield areas could meet MBTA housing targets; 40R model yields about 1,100 units

At a July 10 meeting of the Town of Lynnfield's MBTA Communities Zoning Compliance Committee, consultant Sarah Maren of Barrett Planning Group presented model runs for five candidate areas and said two could meet the state's unit-capacity targets on their own while the remaining areas would likely need to be combined into larger districts.

Maren said the model of the existing 40R Planned Village Development District yields "roughly 1,100" units and that gross density, as modeled, meets the MBTA Communities requirements, though existing 40R dimensional standards could complicate changing dimensions. "The existing conditions of a 40R may prove inconvenient to changing dimensions," she said, and recommended careful review with 40R experts and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC).

Why it matters: MBTA Communities designation requires communities near transit to plan for increased housing capacity. The committee's decisions about which areas to pursue will shape any future zoning changes, fiscal estimates and public engagement the town conducts ahead of a Select Board discussion scheduled for July 22, 2024.

Model findings and site-by-site notes: Maren presented five main areas under consideration: the 40R Planned Village Development District; a Commercial District off Kimball Lane (modeled at about 465 units); a Limited Industrial District (where she cautioned about siting housing adjacent to industrial uses); a General Business District (part of which the model excluded, reducing its capacity); and a Limited Business/Residential A area on East Broadway, which she described as small but useful to supplement other areas. Maren said two areas appear able to meet targets independently; other areas would need to be combined.

State guidance and legal caution: Committee member Anthony Moccia asked whether any statute or Attorney General guidance would bar industrially zoned designations. Maren said she would provide the Attorney General's letter/opinion and described it as a "strongly worded caution," adding she would share the Attorney General's letter to the Town of Pembroke as an example. The committee flagged that the Pembroke example and the letter's specific language should be reviewed to understand any constraints.

Assumptions and sensitivities: Richard O'Neill questioned the model's 1.5 parking-spaces-per-unit assumption. Maren said that the 1.5 figure is an assumption in the model based on what Lynnfield typically uses for larger multifamily projects in its zoning and is not a state parking requirement; she said parking assumptions can be changed but that changes would affect overall results.

Fiscal and infrastructure inputs: Assessor Victor Santaniello said he would calculate tax-revenue estimates if provided the lists of streets in candidate districts, and asked the committee to consider other impacts such as water and sewer infrastructure and additional school children. Maren and town staff said flood-plain and wetland buffers should be checked early as overlays may limit developable area.

Next steps: The committee asked Maren to refine scenarios and provide materials for a Select Board presentation on July 22; Maren offered to provide materials by July 17 and to attend the Select Board meeting in person for technical questions. Town staff will gather the 40R development agreement and street lists for Santaniello and provide other inputs needed to iterate the model.

The committee approved minutes from June 12 and June 27, 2024, and adjourned the meeting at 10:03 a.m.