[Added 6-5-2021 ATM by Art. 30, approved 9-29-2021]
The purpose of the Senior Housing Overlay District is to encourage
the development of housing opportunities within the Town, and to:
A.
Provide housing for the benefit of senior citizens in order to meet
the goal of preserving municipal character and diversity;
B.
Allow aging residents to have housing opportunities within the Town;
C.
Provide a full range of housing choices within the Town; and
D.
Vitalize the historic town center.
A senior housing development shall constitute independent housing
units designed for persons of age 55 or over within the meaning of
Massachusetts and federal law and in accordance with the same, with
the requirement that each dwelling unit in a senior housing development
shall be occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older.
In the event of the death of the qualifying occupant(s) of a unit,
or foreclosure or other involuntary transfer of a unit in a senior
housing development, a two-year exemption shall be allowed for the
transfer the occupancy of the unit to another eligible household.
A senior housing development does not include a nursing home or hospital.
A.
This Senior Housing Overlay Article applies to property placed within
the Senior Housing Overlay District and shall include the following
parcels of land situated on the southerly side of Park Street, North
Reading, MA, that are listed below and are shown on the Zoning Map
as set forth on the map entitled "Compiled Plan of Land in North Reading,
Mass.; Hayes Engineering, Inc.; Scale: 1"=40'; February 2, 2021; Showing
Area to be Re-zoned to Senior Housing Overlay District North Reading
Senior Housing Overlay District Map." Said map is on file with the
Community Planning Department. The Senior Housing Overlay District
is hereby established as an overlay district.
|
Area
|
Assessors' Map and Parcel and Parcel ID
|
Street Number
|
Street Name
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.47 acres +/-
|
Map 54, Parcel 123
213/054.0-0000-0123.0
|
146
|
Park Street
|
|
0.68 acres +/-
|
Map 54, Parcel 124
213/054.0-0000-0124.0
|
150
|
Park Street
|
|
3.46 acres +/-
|
Map 54. Parcel 125
213/054.0-0000-0125.0
|
148
|
Park Street
|
As to a senior housing development, in case of conflict between
the regulations of this Senior Housing Overlay Article and the underlying
zoning district and other regulations in this bylaw, the regulations
of this Senior Housing Overlay Article shall control, whether more
or less restrictive.
A.
In addition to the uses allowed by right and by special permit in
the underlying zoning district, a senior housing development is permitted
in the Senior Housing Overlay District by special permit from the
Community Planning Commission. The development may include one-family,
two-family and multi-family dwellings. One occupant in each residential
unit must be 55 years old or older.
B.
Mixed use including offices, retail or personal and consumer services
may be allowed provided that the Community Planning Commission specifically
finds them compatible with the senior housing development.
The following dimensional and density regulations shall apply
to a senior housing development:
A.
Size of site: The site on which the senior housing development is
located must contain at least four acres of total land area. Separate
lots may be merged to meet this requirement.
B.
Frontage: The site on which the senior housing development is located
must have at least 250 feet of frontage. Separate lots may be merged
to meet this requirement.
C.
Site coverage: Buildings shall not cover more than 40% of the site.
D.
Open space: Minimum open space (being the portion of the site not
occupied by buildings, parking, garages and driveways) shall be at
least 20% of the total site area.
E.
Multiple buildings: Multiple buildings are allowed on the site. The
minimum distance between principal buildings shall be 20 feet, but
covered walkways, pergolas and similar features are allowed between
buildings. There is no maximum gross floor area.
F.
Building height: No building shall exceed 45 feet in height.
G.
Setbacks: Any new building used for senior housing units shall be
set back 25 feet from the front lot line, 20 feet from each side lot
line and 20 feet from the rear lot line.
H.
Proximity to public amenities: The site on which the senior housing
development is to be located must be within 250 feet of a public park
or public common or public library to which the residents would have
walking access.
I.
Maximum number of units: A senior housing development shall not contain
more than 50 dwelling units.
J.
Bedrooms per unit: No dwelling unit shall have more than two bedrooms.
K.
Local Preference: As part of the special permitting process, the
applicant shall submit a local preference plan for review by the Community
Planning Commission with input from the Select Board. The plan may
provide that before new market-rate units (meaning non-Affordable
Housing Units) are sold to the general public, the following persons
will be allowed an opportunity to contract with the developer to purchase
a market-rate unit: Current or former residents of the Town, employees
of the Town, and a parent, child, or sibling of a resident of the
Town. A local preference plan shall provide for advanced local public
notice at the developer's expense of the local preference plan and
the availability of units. To the extent allowed by law, such plan
may be made a condition of a special permit issued pursuant to this
Article and shall be implemented accordingly.
L.
On-site amenities: The senior housing development must include some
common area features for senior residents, such as a common meeting-socializing
room or a low-impact exercise course that the Community Development
Commission deems suitable.
The parking requirements for a senior housing development are
as follows:
A.
Residential parking spaces required: 1.75 parking spaces per dwelling
unit.
B.
Commercial
parking spaces required: one space per 300 square feet of gross floor
area so used.
C.
Parking spaces sizes: Indoor parking garage spaces shall be a minimum of 9 feet by 18 feet. Outdoor parking spaces shall meet requirements in § 200-4, definitions.
D.
No parking shall be allowed within any required setback.
A.
As used in this article, the words "affordable homeownership unit," "affordable housing," "affordable housing restriction," "DHCD," and "eligible household" shall have the same definitions as are contained in § 200-103B of the Zoning Bylaw. Affordable homeownership units must meet DHCD housing quality standards.
B.
As a condition of approval for a senior housing development special
permit, 15% of the residential units created in the senior housing
development shall be affordable homeownership units in perpetuity.
If the affordable housing calculation results in a fraction of a unit,
the fraction shall be rounded to the nearest whole number.
Each affordable homeownership unit shall be subject to an affordable housing restriction in accordance with § 200-108E, and the initial purchase price for that affordable homeownership unit shall meet the criteria of § 200-108C(1)(b) and shall comply with applicable DHCD regulations as to for-sale affordable units.
Affordable units shall meet the requirements of the Department
of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Local Initiative Program
(LIP) for inclusion on the Chapter 40B Subsidized Housing Inventory.
C.
The Community Planning Commission shall administer this section and
shall promulgate submission requirements and procedures, minimum requirements
for a marketing plan, and documentation required by the Town to qualify
the affordable housing units for listing on the Chapter 40B Subsidized
Housing Inventory.
D.
To the extent permissible by applicable law and provided such preference
does not disqualify such affordable homeownership units from being
included as affordable units on the DHCD Subsidized Housing Inventory
for North Reading, nondiscriminatory local preference may be applied
to the selection of purchasers of affordable homeownership units to
qualified persons who are current or former residents of the Town,
are employees of the Town, or are a parent, child or sibling of a
resident of the Town. The local preference criteria shall be set by
the Community Planning Commission with the approval of the Select
Board.
E.
The sale price for affordable homeownership units shall be determined
in accordance with the Local Initiative Program regulations of the
Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
at 760 CMR 45.00[1] or any successor regulations or program of DHCD establishing
guidelines for moderate-income housing programs that qualify under
MGL Chapter 40B.
[1]
Editor's Note: These regulations were superseded by 760 CMR
65.00.
