Hadley planners take no stand on expanding senior housing zone

STAFF FILE PHOTOWEB ONLY

STAFF FILE PHOTOWEB ONLY STAFF FILE PHOTO

By SCOTT MERZBACH

Staff Writer

Published: 10-04-2024 3:32 PM

HADLEY — The Planning Board will not make a recommendation to special Town Meeting this fall about a proposal to significantly expand the senior housing overlay district, to include a 30-acre property near the corner of Rocky Hill Road and North Maple Street. That site had previously eyed for a 232-unit housing subdivision.

While planners at a public hearing Tuesday on the zoning change appeared mostly favorable to the rezoning concept, they voted 4-0, with member Mark Dunn abstaining, to take no action on the request from Amherst developer Barry Roberts.

Under the proposal for the Nov. 14 Town Meeting, a large swath of properties bounded by Route 9 to the south, the Route 116 bypass to the east, Rocky Hill Road to the north and North Maple Street to the west, would be included in the 55-and-over overlay district. But with many of the properties within this area already developed, including the University Business Park and Venture Way off North Maple Street, the rezoning would mostly be aimed at what is known as the Babb Farm property.

Tom Reidy, an attorney with Bacon Wilson PC of Amherst, said the 30 acres is going to be developed for something, and that homes ranging from 1,300 to 1,800 square feet for people 55 and over could be the best use.

“I think this gives a way to get housing, senior housing, in an area that is going to be developed at some point,” Reidy said.

Roberts has had success developing 55-and-over condominium units at East Street Commons, which has 35 homes that are fully occupied and which has no room to grow. A zoning change that would have enlarged the district was rejected by voters in 2019. The original overlay district, created in 2008, already encompasses the Route 9 corridor, but has yielded no other projects.

“What this does is free up the market somewhat generally for young families to come in, to be in those houses that Hadley residents would be vacating to potentially to move into this site,” Reidy said.

Reidy said the development would require a special permit and observed that the town zoning still places a maximum number of such units at 50, with no more than two bedrooms in each unit. But the current plans, which will be refined if rezoning is successful, show just 22 units. In addition, 15% of the homes built would meet affordable housing criteria.

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Planning Board member Joseph Zgrodnik said it’s appropriate to take no action because residents, especially those living near or within the possible overlay district, need more information. “The citizens in the area really haven’t had an opportunity to know that there’s something going on,” Zgrodnik said.

The former farmland had previously been eyed for a large-scale apartment complex of 232 two-story cottages and three-story townhomes, and was also offered to the town of Amherst a few years ago as a possible location for the Department of Public Works headquarters.

Planning Board member Matthew Waldrip agreed that more people should know about what might happen on the property before planners do advocacy.

No action is the customary approach for zoning changes via petition, said Planning Board Chairman James Maksimoski. But he said members of the board could speak for or against the zoning change at Town Meeting.

Maksimoski said he might be inclined to support the measure, as senior housing seems an appropriate use. “I think it’s a good option for the property myself,” Maksimoski said.

Dunn said he likes senior housing, that it would be sensitive to abutters and is smaller than the previous development proposed. But Dunn said he has family members who live nearby that may lead him to question the project.

The Select Board also didn’t take a position following a presentation Wednesday by Reidy and Roberts.

Board member David J. Fill II said he would likely be favorable to the idea, as it’s a better option than trying to jam more than 200 units onto the site.

“I think it’s a good way to have new growth in town with limited impact on our infrastructure, schools, etc.,” Fill said.

Select Board Chairwoman Molly Keegan said she has gotten questions from people concerned the property is not being put into the Agricultural Preservation Restriction program, but she observed there is no indication the owner intends to go that route.

Board member Jane Nevinsmith wondered if some of the dwellings could be more affordable for Hadley senior citizens. Aside from the units that would be designated as affordable, Reidy and Roberts explained the challenge due to the cost of construction. “It’s very expensive to build,” Roberts said.

The discussion by planners came amid uncertainty around whether the zoning change would need to achieve a two-thirds majority threshold at Town Meeting, as zoning changes usually do. But new state legislation can drop that requirement on an eligible property. Richard Harris, former director of Planning and Conservation for South Hadley and now a private consultant, said that recent state legislation aimed at spurring housing development of all types allows for some zoning changes to be by simple majority.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.