EDC Kicks the Can to Council on Inclusionary Zoning

The membership of the Economic Development Committee of the Town Council met at 5:45 Wednesday night and again agreed to disagree about specifics for an ‘inclusionary zoning’ bylaw that they had an opportunity to shape. But, after another meeting running to nearly 90 minutes, the motion and unanimous vote went to pass the whole matter to the full Town Council for consideration and decisions.

An inclusionary zoning measure, mostly designed to increase housing availability in the town’s central business district, is more or less required under recent state law since Franklin has been locked in (since the 1960s) as a member of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority communities.

And, while there was no disagreement about the need to come up with a regulation numerous specifics eluded agreement.

Early in the meeting Planning and economic development director Bryan Taberner explained that the main requirement being sought is 10 percent affordable units.

Much discussion ensued about where the regulation might apply geographically, what size of complex it would apply to, whether setting a 10 percent standard (rather than something higher or lower) discourage or attract developers, setbacks, lot size, and above all, how members of the community would likely react to denser development.

Frequently, indeed, the conversation veered into related planning issues and Chair, Melanie Hamblen, had to bring the focus back. However, in the end, with the clock running out on the meeting (the Town Council meeting was slated to start at 7 pm). Hamblen asked for and got a motion to move the matter to the purview of the Council. That matter passed unanimously.

As soon as it did, Bruce Hunchard, Chair of the Planning Board, who had been brought into the “plus” version of the EDC (aka, The Franklin For All committee) asked if that committee could now be disbanded, since its sole function had been to consider inclusionary zoning.

The Chair passed the question to Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, who admitted that it had been the plan to disband the committee....but said he would have to get back to Hunchard...