Housing Headlines

MELROSE --- Melrose is discussing changes to its affordable housing bylaws that would increase the amount of required affordable units from 10 to 15 percent for developments of eight units or more and eliminate the payment-in-lieu of option for developments of this size. In addition, town leaders are discussing changing the payment-in-lieu of affordable units from optional to by-right for developments of five to seven units, and increasing the payment requirement from 2 to 3 percent of sale price or market value.

WAYLAND --- The town's zoning board of appeals has approved developer Steven Zieff's application to build 60 mixed-income apartments with a Ch. 40B land use permit, but the developer says the approval to redevelop the former Mahoney's Gardden Center site comes with so many conditions that it's tantamount to trying to kill the project. Some of the conditions placed on Zieff relate to gallons of sewage per bedroom, setback distance, number of parking spots, and continued monitoring and testing of the septic system and Pine Brook.

FRAMINGHAM — After battling for three years to build a housing development of 70 to 90 units in northwest Framingham, developer Howard Fafard is now proposing to construct four single-family homes.

WEYMOUTH --- The chairman of the regional board charged with overseeing the redevelopment of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station says the master developer has failed to make at least $80,000 in payments to maintain the property's major roadway and has instead shifted those costs to property owners.

AMHERST --- The Valley Community Development Corp. is planning to buy a one-acre site near the Amherst College athletic fields, with the long-term plan of securing funding to develop the town's first single-room lodging house for extremely low-income individuals.

WEYMOUTH --- The zoning board will continue its hearing on a proposal by John M. Corcoran Company to build 237 market-rate apartments and 6,000 square feet of commercial space at 1,500 Main St. behind Charlie's Finer Diner and near the South Weymouth commuter rail station and housing within Union Point, the development at the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station.