"BEN Wins BIG On 3A Zoning"

Joyce Mandell, Abundant Housing Massachusetts writes:

 

"In under two year, the Town of Franklin has made positive strides in passing policies that support housing and transit oriented development including the following:

• Increased housing density downtown to up to 18 units/acre
• Created affordability requirements for complexes over 10 units
• Legalized 3-family homes by-right around the commuter rail
• Passed Accessory Dwelling Unit by-law delineating standards and approval process
• Rezoned historic downtown factory for mixed-use development
• Advanced two affordable housing developments
• Appointed pro-housing members to Zoning Board and Master Plan Committee

Here is the topper: On August 14, nine town councilors voted unanimously in support of Franklin’s proposed zoning ordinance to comply with the MBTA Communities Law!  In contrast to towns that have settled for “paper compliance”, Franklin went steps further: concentrating the new zoning district in the downtown core, allowing for mixed use development to stimulate a walkable, livable district, removing parking minimums for commercial properties and reducing parking minimums from 1.5 to 1 spaces for residential properties.  Eliminating and lowering parking requirements is a tested way to prevent the risk of overestimating needed parking, allowing developers to decide the parking requirement for the intended use and therefore, lowering the cost of development without adding unnecessary parking construction costs."

Continue reading the article online -> 

https://www.abundanthousingma.org/ben-wins-big-on-3a-zoning/

 

Find out more about Building Equitable Neighborhoods for Franklin ->   https://ben4franklin.org/

"BEN Wins BIG On 3A Zoning"