Planning Board Delighted by Progress on Coast Guard Property

By Marya Dantzer

Planning Board“Two months ago, we didn’t think this would be possible,” Planning Board member Jeff Cohen marveled, voicing surprise and delight with which the Board greeted news that the U.S. Coast Guard has agreed to work with the Town and the Bedford Housing Trust to secure purchase of the government’s surplus property at Pine Hill Rd. Assistant Town Manager Jessica Porter announced this development at the Planning Board’s July 22 meeting; Manager Rick Reed had briefed Selectmen the evening before.

The town has engaged in talks regarding disposition of the parcel for more than two years, in hope that residential development on the property could take place in a manner consistent with the Comprehensive Plan then in progress. This means that design options considered by citizens at two spring charrette meetings have the potential to be realized.

At the charrettes, residents considered three potential scenarios; see links to the Citizen’s coverage of these meetings below. The three options represented varying degrees of change to the property and varying configurations of housing style and density. Cohen expressed a preference for Option B, which would involve removing the existing houses (more cost-effective than attempting to renovate them) to construct 35 attached and single-family cottages, sited to facilitate preservation of open space. This option would yield a result that resembles the two- to three-bedroom cottages at River Walk in Concord.

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“This is just a resolution,” Porter cautioned, meaning that the Coast Guard has only agreed, at this stage,  to undertake discussions with the Town, potentially leading to purchase by the Housing Trust and ensuing publication of a Request for Proposals (RFP) from developers who would purchase the site from the Town. Depending on the terms of sale and re-sale, proceeds could accrue to the Town.

In a brief discussion following Porter’s announcement, Planning Board members turned their attention to how the Town and the Board could guarantee that a developer would adhere to public priorities regarding design. Terms of sale would need to specify what these would be; but sequencing this process could be difficult, given that Town Meeting approval would be required for any associated rezoning, and that vote might occur after a developer had been selected.

Planning Director Glenn Garber reminded the Board that at the charrettes, some residents opposed the higher-density options, cautioning that Town Meeting potentially could resist a more innovative design, including some affordable (40B) units, in favor of conventional single-family housing. Hackman called this possibility, potentially resulting in construction of costly large-footprint dwellings (i.e., mansionization) “a pretty grim alternative.” However, Planning Board member Lisa Mustapich added that housing can be designed to appear smaller than its square footage would imply. “I’m not opposed to 3,000 square feet if it’s well built,” she said.

Porter said that she and Town Manager Reed concurred that any construction of cottage-style residences would have a first-floor master suite, to facilitate occupancy by senior citizens. But Cohen noted that sentiment at the charrettes did not favor housing exclusively for seniors.

There are “very vivid choices” involved, Garber said, between, for example 40B development and rezoning possibilities. Rezoning would represent “a more arduous task, and the public process and debate [would] be controversial—40B tends to be a flashpoint” he cautioned. “On the other hand, people will feel it’s more transparent.” At the same time, he noted, the parcel may not have to be rezoned at all.

“Who would decide whether it would involve rezoning?” Hackman asked. “Various boards,” replied Porter. “Would we see elevations as part of a 40B process?” Hackman continued, playing out that scenario. Garber proposed that any RFP include a requirement for design review. He also noted that, given the comprehensive zoning review his office and the Planning Board are currently working on, any plan for rezoning the Coast Guard property would likely require hiring a consultant.

Given the speculative nature and broad range of possibilities, said Planning Board Chair Shawn Hanegan, “it sounds like we’re committed to an open-ended process.”

Cohen moved to endorse the Selectmen’s resolution opening discussion with the Coast Guard, and the four Board members in attendance (Amy Lloyd was not present) unanimously agreed.

For an account of the Selectmen’s resolution, see https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2014/07/23/coast-guard-agrees-to-work-with-town-on-disposition-of-pine-hill-road-property/

For prior coverage of the Coast Guard property issues, see:

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