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2001-03-08 Housing workshop CITY OF BEVERLY Public Meeting Minutes Master Plan Steering Committee - Diversity in Housing Workshop BOARD: Master Plan Steering Committee SUBCOMMITrEE: DATE: March 8, 2001 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: John Thomson, Donald Preston, Linda Goodenough, Maureen Troubetaris, Joanne Avallon, Scott Houseman, John Murray, Wendy Pearl, George Simon, Larry Ralph, John Young BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Richard Dinkin, Bruce Oveson, William Rodenbaugh, Wendy Frontiero, Virginia MeGlynn ALSO PRESENT: Planning Director Tina Cassidy, Ken Buckland and Bill McDaniel of The Cecil Group RECORDER: Karen Bradley Cassidy states that she would like to begin this evening's workshop and asks all in attendance to take their seats (7:10 p.m.) Welcome and Introduction Cassidy thanks everyone for attending the second scheduled workshop for the Master Plan Update. She explains that the Master plan process is underway and states that a few weeks prior the first workshop on Transportation and Infrastructure took place. She states that there is a summary available for all to review that reveals the results of that workshop. Cassidy introduces the members of the Master Plan Steering Committee that are present as well as Ken Buckland and Bill McDaniel of the Cecil Group. Ken Buckland explains that the purpose of this workshop is to get ideas that can be implememed into the Master Plan. He states that the focus of this workshop this evening is ideas on housing in this community. Buckland explains that the alternatives for the group discussion focus on three issues: 1. Amenities and Quality of Life - maintaining the important aspects of the community's housing conditions. 2. Public Facility Improvements - how public facilities can be used to support community needs. 3. Economic development - seeking outside assistance for development within the community. Buckland states that the goal at the end of this evening's workshop is to propose ideas developed for implementation into the Master Plan in terms of housing and housing development. Buckland gives a brief presentation explaining the results of recent studies on the City's housing goals. He explains that the 1980 U.S. Census information revealed that key shifts in Master Plan Steering Committee minutes March 8, 2001 meeting Page 2 population are occurring away from the western and downtown areas to the Centerville section of the City. Buckland explains the prominence of the residential tax base to the City and explains the areas of land that have been set aside for different types of uses throughout the City. They are: Tax Exempt Properties 2,176 acres Residential 4,182 acres Vacant 1,083 acres Commercial 471 acres Industrial 311 acres Buckland explains development trends in the City and states that the volume of home sales declined from 1998 to 1999. He explains that 40 communities have mandated affordable housing production. He states that only five of those communities have seen any appreciable response to those mandates. He states that the results indicate that if the community wants to see more affordable housing more aggressive measures will have to he taken. Buckland points out the three alternatives in the workbooks and states that there will be two facilitators at each table. He explains that the facilitators will note the ideas of each table and that the purpose of the group discussion is to devise a solution for each alternative. Buckland asks if there are any questions. Rosemary Maglio asks if each group should list any objections to each alternative. Buckland states that all views should be listed whether they are positive or negative opinions. The group discussion begins at 7:40 p.m. Buckland asks each facilitator to post the group ideas at 8:25 p.m. He explains that the co-facilitators will post five ideas from each group's list that will he presented. Group Presentations Table 2 1. Encourage reuse of vacant existing buildings. Use Federal Grants to purchase and rehab, this includes both private facilities and public buildings. 2. Provide tax incentives to upgrade, refurbish, and provide affordable housing. 3. Allow for more two-family homes and multi-family units throughout the City that would probably result in rezoning certain areas. The specific areas for rezoning have not been established. 4. Encourage the appropriate quality of life for affordable housing. 5. Scatter affordable housing throughout the City. Master Plan Steering Committee miuutes March 8, 2001 meeting Page 3 Table 1 1. Use the concept of the City being set up as a village and increase affordable housing units throughout the City. This concept will avoid overpopulation in the downtown area. 2. Renovate the existing Housing Authority units to promote a more multi-family integrated community. 3. Expand the use of accessory apartments. Conduct more extensive research to restructure the zoning for this use. 4. Start a network between developers and boarders to consider the needs of the employees in the community, particularly SRO (single room occupancy) needs. 5. Consider the reuse of public buildings for residential uses. 6. Address the student housing issue and its impact on the community. Table 3 1. Maintain 10% affordable housing goal and to have a bi-annual review of the status of that to ensure it is being maintained in the community. 2. Rezone selected underutilized industrial/commercial areas. 3. Maintain neighborhood character while providing affordable housing. Distribute affordable housing throughout the City and provide suitable parking within each neighborhood. 4. Make possible the retention of elderly home ownership. 5. Encourage other communities to take their share of affordable housing "burden". 6. Increase funding for de-leading and reexamine our current regulations on lead. 7. Create incentives for Montserrat College of Art not to use existing housing. 8. Stricter enforcement of existing housing regulations. 9. Support efforts of non-profit affordable housing organizations. Table 4 1. Reuse buildings that the City presently owns for housing incorporating access for.special needs. 2. Build partnerships between the Housing Authority as well as local groups that are active in the City to create affordable housing. 3. Offer incentives to encourage owner occupancy for affordable housing units. 4. Rezone the Bass River area for mixed use to encourage some affordable housing in that area as well as commercial use. 5. Redefine assembly of a family household to support all kinds of family structures for affordable housing. 6. Promote flexibility for homeowners to be able to rent out a room in order to pay for the house. Master Plan Steering Committee minutes March 8, 2001 meeting Page4 Table 5 I. Promote diversity in housing to maintain a New England type of town atmosphere to include conversion of industrial/commercial property to affordable housing requiring a zoning change and also offer incentives for the conversion. 2. Improve and maintain property use for housing. 3. Reserve surplus City property for housing. 4. Encourage owner occupancy of housing units. 5. Encourage and maintain mixed use in downtown area and Bass River area. 6. Encourage the use of accessory apartments. Buckland thanks the community for their involvement and states that the next Master Plan Workshops are as follows: March 15, 2001 Economic Development Workshop March 29, 2001 Residential Development and Open Space Workshop The meeting is adjourned at 9:00 p.m.