Residents: Not in any of our backyards
Residents: Not in any of our backyards
Our suburban communities aren't always good at sharing.
That’s especially is true when it comes to sharing our land, sharing our streets and sharing our neighborhoods.
Last week, the Wellesley Select Board signaled it opposed a proposed multi-family, transit-oriented development off Route 9 that would have created 40 new homes, including nine affordable units (down from the original 60 units) in walking distance to restaurants, shops and the commuter rail.
Instead, the 3.75 acre property will likely become seven, very-large, single-family homes, preserving what abutters have been alluding to as “the character” of their neighborhood.
That, of course, will do next to nothing to help address the town’s and the region’s profound housing shortage; affordable housing shortage; or the challenge of providing a place for our seniors to downsize, our young families to move to or our employees to live.
The 489 Worcester Street proposal by developer Victor Sheen and partners has been subjected to relentless abutter opposition from the start.
It continued even after Sheen agreed to scale back the project, add landscaping and keeping two single family homes along Cliff Road in tact to shield the multi-family building from the neighborhood.
Opponents -- who’ve coalesced as part of Neighbors for Better Planning (Am I the only one who thinks of the “Twin Peaks" opening credits when visiting NFBP's website?) -- worried the project would “plummet home values,” undermine “historic character,” give birth to a traffic nightmare and, the old standby, threaten children’s safety. (As opposed to providing a place for children to live.)
Most disturbing, opponents argued last week, mixed use developments were “intrusions” that should never be allowed in any of Wellesley's residential neighborhoods.
“Zoning regulations are de facto contractual decisions already given by the town to home purchasers,” said one objector.
Another suggested affordable housing was not allowed in single-family neighborhoods for a reason and then asked: “Why would people want to pick fights with people in single family neighborhoods?”
Sure enough, Wellesley’s Select Board decided not to pick that fight.
Even before many details (such as how many "missing middle" units could be added) were ironed out, even before the Planning Board weighed in, and months before they were supposed to vote, the board signaled they would not support Sheen’s 40R proposal under any terms.
(Perhaps they're worried what happened in Newton would happen to them?)
The Swellesley Report has more as well as the Select Board's 5-0 vote last night against zoning relief needed to build an assisted living and memory care facility on the Wellesley/Natick line.
So where does Wellesley want to build housing?
So where does Wellesley want to build housing?
Ninety percent of Wellesley's homes are single family units.
And as the lone supporter who spoke in support of the 489 Worcester Street Project noted last week: The plurality of homes in Wellesley have four bedrooms, while the plurality of households have two people.
Still, Select Board member Beth Sullivan Woods seemed to be speaking for the majority of her colleagues when she suggested the town had “gotten to the point where at least the state believes [Wellesley] has enough affordable housing,” presumably because the town has met its 40B safe harbor threshold.
Sullivan Woods added she “still wasn’t convinced” single-family neighborhoods were “the right place for such housing density.”
Instead, she preferred focusing on density in commercial districts, which is a big part of how Wellesley plans to meet its MBTA Communities mandate.
Which sounds good, perhaps, if Wellesley doesn’t care about squeezing commercial businesses out of town in the process
Potential Newton teacher strike vote tomorrow
Potential Newton teacher strike vote tomorrow
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and school leaders warned residents and parents last night that the Newton Teachers Association plans to hold a strike vote tomorrow night and could possibly walk off the job this Friday (Jan. 19).
If the NTA strike occurs, school will be canceled, all buildings will be closed and all school-related events and activities postponed.
"We empathize with our families who will need to scramble for childcare or take time off work, and with our students who will miss classes, athletic events, fine arts performances, extracurricular activities, and school-sponsored social events,” the statement reads.
Under state law, public employees and employee organization are not allowed to strike and may be fined. But it still happens.
Both the Newton Beacon and Fig City News just posted articles exploring key issues and finances.
Jobs, hiring and workforce on our agenda Feb. 6
Jobs, hiring and workforce on our agenda Feb. 6
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Gov. Maura Healey’s point person on jobs, hiring and workforce will be the featured speaker at our annual Women In Government event (men invited!), Feb. 6, 9 a.m. at Hampton Inn & Suites in Watertown.
Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones (in photo) has more than 17 years of experience working in local and state government, non-profits and the private sector, with a particular focus on workforce development.
In addition to working with employers creating a pipeline of skilled workers for current, emerging and future employers, Jones oversees the unemployment insurance system and services to protect worker rights, health, safety, wages and working conditions.
Jones will talk about all of that and answer your questions on Feb. 6. RSVP.
Today's grab bag
Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones (in photo) has more than 17 years of experience working in local and state government, non-profits and the private sector, with a particular focus on workforce development.
In addition to working with employers creating a pipeline of skilled workers for current, emerging and future employers, Jones oversees the unemployment insurance system and services to protect worker rights, health, safety, wages and working conditions.
Jones will talk about all of that and answer your questions on Feb. 6. RSVP.
Today's grab bag
- Watertown’s Planning Board has approved Broder’s plans to build a life science campus Cannistraro site off of Pleasant Street, but not before a marathon meeting where the main focus was on the proximity of the project to residents. (Watertown News)
- About 3,500 Bay State restaurants are eligible for compensation as part of that GrubHub settlement with the AG. (BBJ)
- The Housing Needham Advisory Group will present its proposed plan to comply with MBTA Communities Upzoning tomorrow (Jan. 18), 7 p.m. both in-person in Powers Hall at Needham Town Hall and virtually via Zoom
- The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization is collecting ideas for new transportation studies. Anyone can submit an idea. Past studies have included investigating hot-button transportation policy issues, designing solutions for increasing public transit access to certain destinations, and exploring new transportation planning methods. Details.
- Want an alternative to rock salt? DCR recently posted a video and directions on exactly how to mix up your own batch of salt brine that you can use to pre-treat sidewalks and parking lots.
- After 40 years in the role, Andy Pond is retiring as CEO at the Needham nonprofit Justice Resource Institute. COO Mia DeMarco is his successor.
- The Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges is free ten-week training at Bunker Hill Community College to learn the skills for customer services and administrative professional careers. Apply.
- Could your business or nonprofit benefit from some free consulting from Babson students? Babson is seeking partners/organizations for its Urban and Land Use Economics course this semester. Lean more.
- Our Environment Committee is looking for members. If you work for a chamber member business and are passionate about sustainably and helping businesses become greener, shoot me an email. This a forum to share ideas and best practices, not a place to promote your company’s specific products or services. The committee meets via Zoom in the third Thursday of the month at 9 a.m.
Part of the Charles River overflowed last week, just as designed
Another deluge of rain caused yet more flooding headaches for many businesses and residents last week.
And our favorite river gushed over its banks along Dedham/Needham line ... just as it was designed to do by colonial settlers and the Army Corp of Engineers.
Universal Hub explains
Saying goodbye to two 91-year-old business community legends
Saying goodbye to two 91-year-old business community legends
Finally today, we say goodbye to two local women who played a significant roles in the region’s business community and philanthropy who passed away this month.
Both women lived to be 91-years-young.
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Chobee Hoy, a prominent Brookline realtor, civic leader and philanthropist, passed away Jan. 13.
Hoy was owner of Chobee Hoy Associates and Chobee Hoy Group at Compass. She served on countess boards of a wide range of local nonprofit organizations, including the Coolidge Corner Theatre, the Brookline Teen Center, the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health and the Brookline Chamber reports the Brookline News.
The West Virginia native was also hyper-active in politics, working for and local, state and national candidates. Bill Clinton once visited her home, as did Nancy Pelosi.
“My life is like a circle, not two parallel lines. There is the businessperson, the giving person, the mother, the grandmother, and the person who isn’t always nice,” Hoy once told BrooklineHib.com. “Sometimes I don’t know where one ends and the other begins. Real estate has helped because it’s allowed me to earn a living and support my passions.”
Hoy was owner of Chobee Hoy Associates and Chobee Hoy Group at Compass. She served on countess boards of a wide range of local nonprofit organizations, including the Coolidge Corner Theatre, the Brookline Teen Center, the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health and the Brookline Chamber reports the Brookline News.
The West Virginia native was also hyper-active in politics, working for and local, state and national candidates. Bill Clinton once visited her home, as did Nancy Pelosi.
“My life is like a circle, not two parallel lines. There is the businessperson, the giving person, the mother, the grandmother, and the person who isn’t always nice,” Hoy once told BrooklineHib.com. “Sometimes I don’t know where one ends and the other begins. Real estate has helped because it’s allowed me to earn a living and support my passions.”
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Longtime Needham resident Eileen Roche, the wife of the late Roche Brothers Supermarket co-founder (Daniel F.) Buddy Roche, passed away on Jan. 4.
The Dorchester native married Buddy in 1957, just as he and his brother Pat were about to expand the small meat market they operated in Roslindale by carrying groceries.
By 1966, Buddy and Pat built their first supermarket in Needham, and Ellen and Buddy moved there too. As their family grew so did the family business, with stores in West Roxbury, Westwood, Natick, Wellesley and many other towns.
The Dorchester native married Buddy in 1957, just as he and his brother Pat were about to expand the small meat market they operated in Roslindale by carrying groceries.
By 1966, Buddy and Pat built their first supermarket in Needham, and Ellen and Buddy moved there too. As their family grew so did the family business, with stores in West Roxbury, Westwood, Natick, Wellesley and many other towns.
Details, wake and funeral arrangements.
Our condolences to both families, friends, colleagues and customers.
That’s what you need to know for today, unless you need proof that the Federal Highway Administration has no sense of humah.
Be back Friday
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President & CEO
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