LETTER: Please Use 'Safe Harbor' to Sink This Giant Project

Alan Earls Editor

LETTER: Please Use 'Safe Harbor' to Sink This Giant Project

To the Editor:

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) held its first hearing on Thursday, March 27th, regarding the proposed 40B development at the Stobbart’s property on East Central Street. The developer plans to build 264 rental apartments across five buildings on the site. Under the 40B law, 25% of these units would be classified as affordable housing.

We all recognize the challenges posed by high housing costs in Franklin. However, as well-intentioned as this project may be, it is simply too large for this location. In addition to the five residential buildings, the proposal includes a clubhouse and will likely require over 500 parking spaces to accommodate the hundreds of new residents. The site directly borders multiple existing homes. These neighbors will have direct views of the complex and their quality of life and property values will clearly be significantly diminished. Furthermore, the traffic impact on East Central Street will affect all Franklin residents on a daily basis. Again, this project is far too large-especially given the other recent apartment developments along East Central Street.

At the hearing, we learned that the ZBA has the authority to reject this proposal by invoking the Safe Harbor provision of the 40B law, as more than 10% of Franklin's current housing stock already qualifies as affordable. Exercising Safe Harbor would allow the board to stop this project immediately.

However, it is crucial to act quickly. The ZBA must invoke Safe Harbor within 14 days of the initial public hearing—meaning the deadline is fast approaching.

If you are concerned about the overdevelopment of Franklin, I urge you to write to the ZBA and ask them to claim Safe Harbor to stop this project before it moves forward.