Housing Headlines

DORCHESTER --- Neighbors expressed concern about parking and traffic during a Saturday workshop in which a development team unveiled plans to transform the historic Port Norfolk neighborhood along the Neponset River in Dorchester into a mixed-use development with a small hotel, marina and 64 apartments spread out over two buildings.

LEXINGTON --- One year after residents of Lexington, Belmont and Arlington protested the idea of the Belmont Country Club selling a piece of its land for 345 units, National Development is taking a swing at the property, proposing to build 64 senior units on one of the parcels and 120 senior units on the other parcel, with some of the units designed for assisted living as well. The property is located in Lexington near the Belmont line.

LUDLOW --- The Zoning Board of Appeals will continue its public hearings on Way Finders' application for a Ch. 40B land use permit on June 14 at Ludlow High School. Way Finders, the Springfield nonprofit formerly known as HAPHousing, wants to build 43 units of affordable housing on a 5.5 acre site across from an elementary school on Fuller Street. Many residents object to the location while selectmen say that while they are in favor of affordable housing, they don't like it at this location. Only 3.48 of Ludlow's housing is considered affordable, below the 10 percent threshold the town needs to achieve safe harbor from 40B applications.

WINCHESTER --- Mill Creek Residential's rumored plans about seeking a Ch. 40B land use permit came to light recently as the developer unveiled preliminary plans for turning a Holton Street site near an active and noisy railway line into 300 to 400 units of mixed-income housing. The plans would include figuring out how to curtail the overnight noise caused by trucks taking freight from the trains, a nuisance neighbors have been complaining about for years.

CHELMSFORD --- The first zoning board of appeals hearing on a Ch. 40B land use permit to build 84 mixed-income apartments was a chance for residents to voice their concerns and many did on issues ranging from municipal costs to environmental concerns to traffic. Known as Beaver Brook Crossing, the application is being made by Emanouil Farms LLC and plans call for two three-story, 24--unit buildings, and one four-story, 36-unit building.

NORWELL --- The nonprofit developer hoping to turn the former police station site into a four-story, 18-unit, mixed-income senior housing development is hoping the town can move faster with its "friendly" 40B permit process so that the project can take advantage of the state's new small-scale housing program, which is scheduled to make its first round of funding awards in July. MetroWest Collaborative Executive Director Jennifer Van Campen said the new fund could provide the project with $2.2 million in Community Scale Housing Initiative funding, but only if its approved before the funding round.