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Public commenter urges board to review Round 4 affordable-housing allocations, flags Garwood among affected sites
Summary
Bruce Patterson told the planning board he researched the historic use of the Westwood parcel and urged the board and council to adjust Round 4 affordable-housing counts, saying the municipality is oversubscribed by six units and identifying Garwood among properties to review.
During the public-comment portion the board heard from Bruce Patterson (325 Willow Avenue), who presented historical research showing the site now occupied by the Westwood once contained recreational uses (Britt's Hall, a carousel and picnic grove) and later greenhouses. Patterson said he assembled Sanborn-map research and offered to share it with board members. "It was actually Britt's Hall, and it was a little carousel and a picnic grove," he said (voice S7).
Patterson then urged the board to act on affordable-housing accounting for the Round 4 list. He said the council’s adopted resolution set the municipality’s present affordable housing units at 80 but that the town is now "oversubscribed by 6" and that several properties on the Round 4 list (including Garwood, North Avenue mall parcels and a site identified as the standard ****** property) will need adjustment. Patterson urged more transparency in development-review committee procedures and suggested the town explore pilot structures used by other municipalities rather than a 30-year pilot agreement he said is favored by outside consultants.
Board members discussed Patterson’s suggestion. One member said identifying alternate local sites for affordable units could reduce pressure on other developers, while counsel cautioned against undermining legally binding settlements. The board did not take formal action on the housing counts at this meeting.
