Affordable Housing Trust to Sell Mil Lane Lot, Eyes 20-Acre Parcel for Future Housing
Key Points
- The Trust voted to create a Request for Proposal (RFP) to sell an unbuildable, town-owned parcel at 39 Mil Lane.
- A long-range discussion was initiated to explore developing 20 acres of town land behind the Music Circus using 40R smart growth zoning.
- The 40R project could create denser housing, including townhouses, with a 20% affordability requirement to serve downsizers, the local workforce, and veterans.
- The Trust will continue to research the 40R concept before formally recommending it to the Select Board.
The Cohasset Affordable Housing Trust voted during its Jan. 14 meeting to sell a small, unbuildable lot at 39 Mil Lane, while also beginning a strategic discussion about developing a large town-owned parcel behind the South Shore Music Circus.
The Mil Lane property, owned by the Trust, is undersized for development at 14,500 square feet, well below the 35,000 square feet required by zoning. After discussing the lot’s limitations, the board determined that selling it was the most practical step. The Trust will now work with the town to create a Request for Proposal (RFP) that will be publicly available and also sent to abutting property owners. A motion by Member Rob Henry to develop the RFP passed 4-0.
The conversation then shifted to a long-term vision for affordable housing on approximately 20 acres of town-owned land near the Music Circus. The Trust's legal counsel presented the concept of using Chapter 40R, a state zoning tool that encourages denser "smart growth" developments with a 20% affordable housing component. "This is a significant development project," the counsel explained, noting it would be a multi-year effort requiring a partnership with a developer and a new zoning overlay district.
Chair Ted Carr emphasized the potential community benefits, stating, "It could open it up for workforce housing, veterans housing, as well as the 20% actual capital A affordable housing if we were to pursue it over the long term."
While no decision was made, the board discussed its role in bringing the concept to the Select Board. Member Gene Pesci urged caution and thoughtful planning for the large parcel. "I recoil a little bit at like, 'Oh my gosh, it's like one piece of undeveloped land right in the village of Cohasset and let's go sell it and make some money,'" he said. However, Member Cindy Matheison stressed the importance of proactive planning to meet state housing obligations, noting, "If we got something in the funnel that's a developable and very good potential, then that's our job to be ahead of the game on this." Town Planner Cassandra Thayer added that state planning grants could be available to help fund initial studies for such a project.
In other business, the Trust approved the minutes from its Dec. 10 meeting and authorized payments for legal and administrative services before adjourning. The motion to approve the minutes passed 4-0.