AMHERST — A Boston developer seeking to bring a mixed-use project with 26 affordable apartments to North Amherst has filed its site eligibility plans with the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
The filing, confirmed Tuesday by Darcy Jameson, development director for Beacon Communities, marks the first formal step in the $40 million North Square at the Mill District development.
According to project plans presented by Beacon officials to the Select Board in July, a 150,000-square-foot development, in three buildings on six acres on Cowls Road, would include 130 apartments on the upper floors and 22,000 square feet of space for eight to 10 businesses on the ground levels.
North Square is expected to come before the Zoning Board of Appeals for a comprehensive permit under Massachusetts Chapter 40B, after the state issues a letter related to the site eligibility. That review will likely start sometime in the fall.
Chapter 40B is a state statute promoting affordable housing and allowing developers to circumvent certain municipal zoning restrictions.
During the presentation on the project last month, there was mixed reaction, with some residents who live nearby expressing concern about the density of the proposal.
Vincent O’Connor of Summer Street said the project is problematic.
“I think the elephant in the room about this project is about 60 units would be allowed by zoning, but 130 are being asked for through this project,” O’Connor said.
Janet Keller of Pulpit Hill Road said North Square is nearly as large as the Retreat, the 175-unit student housing proposed for Cowls-owned land in Cushman. That proposal was withdrawn in 2014 after going through some of the town’s permitting process.
“It feels like a metropolis developing in our neighborhood,” said James Steinberg of Montague Road.
But Peter Jessop, a member of the Amherst Housing Authority, said the site is a perfect place for apartments and a mixed-income community.
The site of the development has a vacant sawmill and over the years has been used as a place to plane logs and store lumber.
Julie Marcus, president of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, told the Select Board that North Square fits with the town’s master plan and provides both workforce and low-income housing, both of which are needed in Amherst.
Mollye Lockwood, vice president of real estate and community development for W.D. Cowls, said Beacon continues to be transparent and straightforward, demonstrated by a recent meeting with neighbors at Bread & Butter cafe. Neighbors, she said, were able to offer suggestions about how to improve the project.
Planning Director Christine Brestrup said her department anticipates the 40B filing once the site eligibly letter from the state has been received and town officials offer comments.
Brestrup said that while it is true that only 60 to 65 units would typically be allowed under zoning on the six acres proposed for development, Cowls has about 13 acres that could be developed, and if developed fully, town zoning would allow 116 units.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
