Above: Not everything headed to Town Meetings this spring has provoked debate. So far, one zoning Article geared to be a win-win seems to only have public proponents. (images cropped from Planning Board presentation)
At Monday’s Annual Town Meeting, voters will be asked to amend the zoning bylaws for parking in most commercial districts. The proposal is to make it easier for businesses to share designated parking spaces.
The change isn’t just pro-business. It’s also promoted as “environmentally friendly”.
Article 30 would allow the Planning Board more flexibility to waive certain minimum parking requirements. Currently, the zoning sets minimums for individual business uses. When a building or plaza has multiple businesses those required spaces can add up. That may require property owners to pave more parking spaces than makes sense for the area.
Under the changes, applicants can make the case for why a certain number of spaces is sufficient for the multiple businesses. That could include a compatible pattern of differing peak parking hours for abutting businesses. The issue would be addressed through the Planning Board’s Site Plan Review.
The zoning amendment would apply specifically to four zoning Districts: Industrial, Industrial Park, Downtown District, and Science District. I was surprised to realize that it doesn’t cover the Business Village or Business Highway Districts. (You can see which commercial/business districts it does/doesn’t apply to in the maps I created below.)
This initiative has been embraced by officials as a win-win. Business owners and developers who take advantage of the option can save costs (through less paving) or squeeze in more uses than would otherwise fit.
It would also mean future business developments could be designed to include more green space and less “impervious surface area” (where water can’t be absorbed by the ground). The Town has been seeking to encourage less impervious surfaces, to reduce flood risks and other environmental issues from excess runoff.
The Planning Board’s presentation written for Town Meeting pitches:
Proactively codifying the Zoning to provide proponents with an opportunity to more efficiently utilize land in a more environmentally friendly approach (less hardscape)
The presentation describes the allowance as “A condition on an approved plan that has undergone Planning Board Site Plan Review” with the following requirements:
- Farthest parking spot can be no more than 500 feet from any of the users’ lot lines
- Contingent upon execution of easement/license/lease to ensure long-term joint use
- Not permitted in Conservation, Residence A, Residence B zoning districts
- Planning Board may require peer review/parking study
The approval might be conditioned on:
- Restricted Hours of operation
- Restriction on or requirement of a minimum or maximum number of spaces
- Restrictions on use if board deems that there is insufficient room for the businesses sharing the space (G. 3. (c)) or if the board believes there are other transportation options available (bus, walkway, etc).
If the business uses or conditions change, the owner is required to go back to the Planning Board. The presentation highlights:
A maximum of 15 days’ notice to the board is required for any changes in use.
Maximum 60 days from the change notification to either come back into compliance or request a modification to the site plan
This is the one zoning Article headed to the Annual Town Meeting that is supported by both the Select Board and Advisory Committee.
To read the full Article, click here. To preview the Planning Board’s planned presentation, click here.
To read more about the Annual Town Meeting on Monday night, click here.
