The Cohasset Affordable Housing Trust is moving forward with an engineering assessment of the town-owned lot at 39 Mill Lane to determine if the steep, currently unbuildable property can be salvaged for development. During a Wednesday meeting, members debated whether the parcel, which is hampered by significant topography and potential environmental constraints, holds any value to the town in its current state.

Town Planner Cassandra Thayer reported that consultants recommended updating the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the site to explicitly state that the lot is not buildable under current zoning. Member Gene Pesci, who recently visited the site, pushed the Trust to investigate a variance before dismissing the property's potential. I did take a look at the lot. It's not flat; it's got a fairly decent incline, Pesci said. If that lot could be sold as a buildable lot through a variance, it would be worth a lot more money. Right now it's almost worthless.

Thayer cautioned that the Zoning Board of Appeals typically requires specific building plans to grant such variances, a task usually left to a purchaser. However, Member Rob Henry advocated for a preliminary professional opinion, noting that an engineer could go in there and it could be a very short discussion and one that wouldn't cost us that much money. Member Cindy Matheison expressed reservations regarding the site’s physical limitations, stating, I'm a little skeptical about how practical it would be to develop that piece as an affordable housing unit. There may be some wetlands considerations because it's so close to the creek. Motion Made by G. Pesci to move forward to get quotes for an engineering assessment of the property to explore the potential for a variance. Motion Passed 5-0.

The Trust also shifted its focus toward securing state funding for long-term housing strategy. Thayer presented two grant opportunities: the Eco One-Stop grant and the Community One-Stop for Growth grant. While the Eco grant deadline is approaching in March, Thayer and the board agreed that the June deadline for the Community One-Stop for Growth grant offered a more strategic opportunity to fund an update to the town’s aging Housing Production Plan (HPP) and conduct a 40R smart growth study.

Select Board Representative Paul Grady agreed that the June timeline was more realistic for the town’s current capacity. The community one-stop for growth seems a more practical approach at this point given our resources and the time that's available, Grady said, noting that the application aligns with previous discussions regarding 40R zoning. Thayer emphasized the necessity of the update, explaining, Given that the housing production plan needs to be updated, this is a good program to get funding to update that. Motion Made by G. Pesci to support applying for the Community One-Stop for Growth grant in conjunction with the Affordable Housing Steering Committee. Motion Passed 5-0.

Chair Ted Carr requested that the planning department establish a firm schedule to ensure the Trust remains responsive to these grant deadlines. Cassandra, give some thought to a schedule that you might propose for us to make sure we're responsive on meetings and checking in, Carr said. Following the grant discussion, the Trust confirmed that the Local Action Unit (LAU) application for the 1 Pleasant Street project is prepared for submission to the state this week, pending a final regulatory review by Town Counsel.

Finally, Representative Grady provided a brief update on broader town concerns, noting that the Select Board is currently navigating several high-priority financial and community issues. We are trying to work through budget issues, harbor forums, and fees at the recycling center, Grady told the Trust. In response to requests for more consistent project tracking, the Trust agreed to include standing status updates for 147 South Main Street and other active developments on all future agendas to prevent administrative delays.