As Framingham looks to fully comply with the MBTA Communities Act, local leaders have considered reductions to the boundaries of the downtown district’s boundaries along with height restrictions to new buildings in the area.
FRAMINGHAM - Members of the Framingham City Council and Planning Board have differed on their views regarding potential changes to the boundaries and guidelines of the downtown Central Business (CB) district, as local officials continue to seek full compliance with the MBTA Communities Act.
Possible reductions to the borders of the CB district have been mulled in recent months as a way to meet all of the requirements of the statewide zoning act, which mandates that each community with MBTA service has to offer by-right zoning within at least one multi-family housing district. Mayor Charlie Sisitsky’s submission of the CB district was approved for conditional compliance of the law back in January by state officials, but city leaders are seeking ways to ensure full compliance moving forward.
Proposed changes would see the area’s boundaries brought in from the northwest closer to Proctor Street as well as from the south closer to Waverly Street, while city officials have also considered reducing the height limit for new construction within the district from six stories down to four stories. These reductions would offer zoning for 4,375 units, which is just above the 4,355 needed for full compliance with the MBTA law.
During their meeting on Thursday, May 15, the Framingham Planning Board debated these pitched CB district changes—specifically the question of whether to change building height limits or not.
Member Thomas Buie advocated for allowing more avenues for development in the area down the line.
“I worry about the refusal of building anything,” Buie said on Thursday.
“If we have the same number of households in Framingham 25 years from now that we have today, the cost of running a city 25 years from now will be significantly higher, but the denominator will be the same.”
Buie’s colleague on the Planning Board Mitchell Matorin, though, outlined his belief that there would still be economic development potential within Framingham even with a height limit in the CB district of four stories compared to six. He contended that the municipal government would have more control on development with these pitched reductions.
“I think reducing to four stories addresses a lot of the concerns that the public, the members of this board, and other members of the city have about the development that’s coming in,” Matorin continued.
Eventually, the Planning Board voted to recommend no action on these specific ideas, though they expressed a willingness in the future to address deeper zoning challenges while accounting for all local stakeholders.
Leading up to the City Council’s meeting on Tuesday, May 20, the Framingham Business Association urged local legislators to not change the height limit for new construction within the CB district, arguing that increased urban density provides more opportunities for the local tax base to increase and for businesses to develop.
During Tuesday’s City Council meeting at the Memorial Building, District 1 Councilor Christine Long continued to express support for these changes to ensure MBTA Communities Act compliance.
“This is about multifamily; this isn’t about stopping business development…It reduces the existing district substantially, so that we’re not going to get 7,000 units—which I don’t think anybody that I’ve heard from downtown or from the councilors who represent those districts is looking to densify the CB district to that extent,” Long said on Tuesday.
City Council Vice Chair Tracey Bryant of District 9 was critical of the idea that the suggested changes to the CB district would hinder local economic development, asserting that some restrictions within the downtown area would be beneficial.
“It’s time to put just a little bit of boundaries in place so that we can have long-term, sustainable growth and building and development,” Bryant said, “not helter-skelter; here today, ruining Framingham tomorrow.”
The City Council moved to approve a second reading of the proposed changes while closing the public hearing on the matter. The body also moved to ask the Framingham Planning and Community Development Department to look into incorporating a transition zone for properties on the outskirts of the new, potential CB district’s boundaries down the line.
Ultimately, the City Council has the authority to enact these zoning changes within the downtown area.
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Reactions to the plan from Framingham officials were mixed on Tuesday, as the proposal would have the new department fall under the DPW’s purview.
This past Saturday marked the return of Framingham’s Earth Day Festival. Residents, organizations, and businesses gathered at the Center Common to showcase initiatives aimed at combating the impacts of climate change.
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This week on The Frame: the City Council considers reductions to the downtown Central Business district as well as the establishment of a traffic department, state health officials deem advanced nursery services at Framingham Union Hospital as essential, and a recap of our coverage of this year’s Earth Day Festival.
