Housing Headlines

CHELSEA --- The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) approved a 34-unit affordable housing project on the French Club site Tuesday night, Feb. 9, in a unanimous 3-0 vote – an approval that marked many months of community input and a complete redesign by developer TND. “It was nice to see the responsiveness that TND had to the neighborhood concerns,” said ZBA Member Janice Tatarka. “I believe this is a better proposal and it was important for you to listen and to hear the concerns.”

NEWTON --- Local developer Robert Korff has unveiled plans to build a six-story mixed-use development with 151 one- and two-bedroom apartments (26 affordable) at the corner of Washington and Walnut streets, right across the street from an MBTA stop and near a 68-unit five-story development on Austin St. which the city council just approved.

FALMOUTH --- Thwarted with an earlier attempt to build a hotel on Main St., a Westford-based company is now planning to apply to the town for a Ch. 40B permit so it can build 104 apartments while it is suing the Cape Cod Commission's decision to deny the hotel.

BOSTON --- Neighbors have begun a petition drive asking the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the development team to scale down plans for the development of the former Cote Ford site in Mattapan, which right now calls for a five-story building and 76 apartments.

EASTHAM --- A citizens group led by local insurance agent Scott Kerry have submitted a petition asking the town to take a 10.8 acre Rt. 6 driving range by eminent domain, thereby killing a developer's bid to redevelop the property into 115 units of housing. More than 150 signed the petition. Only 10 certified signatures are needed to place a petitioned article on the town meeting warrant.

AMHERST --- Citing recent developments that will bring over 100 units to downtown but no affordable units, Town Meeting member Vincent O'Connor is proposing a zoning bylaw that would require developers of 10 or more units to set aside 10 percent of the units as affordable.