Housing Headlines

GRAFTON --- Even though developer Sotir Papalilo has reduced his housing proposal from 54 to 48 units, the town's Zoning Board of Appeals and residents are still concerned over the size of the project, the traffic it will bring in and the fact that an apartment building on Prentice St. would be out of character in this single-family neighborhood.

BOSTON --- While Kensington Investment Company has cut its plan from 322 to 300 units, residents around the former Radius Hospital site in Roxbury remain concerned that the the project is still too big and will bring too many cars into the neighborhood. The units at Townsend Street will be market rate, but developers are planning 45 units of affordable housing at the Bartlett Yard site, currently being developed by the Nuestra Comunidad Community Development Corporation.

SUDBURY --- A Land Court has ruled against the town's claim that a one-acre road it gave to a family trust in a land swap came with a restriction that the road and the 8.6 acres it connected with could only be developed into one single-family home. Justice Howard Speicher ruled that multi-family development would be entirely consistent with existing zoning. Voters who OK'd the swap at 2011 Town Meeting apparently thought development would be limited to a single-family home. The decision clears the way for developer Christopher Claussen to continue to pursue his 250-unit Sudbury Station plans.

SOUTHBOROUGH --- The town is trying to figure out whether to let Brendon Properties buy the historic 27-acre Fay Farm or call a town meeting and ask residents to OK $1.9 million in Community Preservation Act funds to match the developer's offer, an option the town has by virtue of having granted a tax break for having the land designated as forest land. Brendon Properties preliminary plans are to preserve the historic home and barn, and create six house lots, but local zoning and the state's Ch. 40B law would allow it to build more housing. Local officials seem split on whether to buy the land to control it, negotiate with the developer to limit development, or trust that the developer will stick with his six-home plan.

BOSTON --- The red-hot Boston Landing neighborhood in Brighton is seeing more development interest as a subsidiary of Roxbury's Urban Core Development is seeking to build 46 condominiums on sites that currently feature two three-family homes and a garage, totaling two-thirds of an acre.A variance is required because multi-family buildings aren't allowed in this neighborhood.

WESTON --- More than 100 residents attended a two-hour planning board meeting to voice concerns about Boston Properties' plan to build up to 345 units and 250,000 square feet of office space in an industrial park near Route 20 and I-95, which currently hosts Biogen and Monster.com offices. The proposal is a counter offer to the town's suggestion that the developer consider 200 units, which is consistent with benchmarks established in the town's recent planning for affordable housing.