Arlington Redevelopment Board - Aug 11th, 2025

Meeting held at 27 Maple St. Materials were available from https://arlington.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/MeetingView.aspx?MeetingID=2323&MinutesMeetingID=-1&doctype=Agenda.

Review Meeting Minutes

The board approved minutes for their July 14 and July 21, 2025 meetings.

Committee Appointments

(Sarah Suarez, Assistant Planning Director) Ms. Suarez says that town meeting voted to establish an Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) committee. There is one seat available for an ARB member or a board designee. There are also two seats open on the AMPUp Committee and one ARB designee seat on the Envision Arlington Standing Committee.

(Rachel Zsembery, ARB Chair) Ms. Zsembery says there were two people interested in the AHO committee, but one stepped aside. Carol Kowalski in interested in the appointment and has submitted a letter of interest and a resume.

(Steve Revilak, ARB) Mr. Revilak notes that Ms. Kowalski is a professional planner and a former director of Arlington's Department of Planning and Community Development. He feels she's highly qualified for the position and supports the appointment.

(Eugene Benson, ARB) Mr. Benson asks if Ms. Kowalski has read town meeting's motion to commit. He says the committee doesn't have legal status to file a zoning article; they could ask the ARB to file it on their behalf, or submit it as a petition of ten registered voters, but they cannot do it on their own. He thinks the board's designee should explain that to the committee.

(Shaina Korman-Houston, ARB) Ms. Korman-Houston supports Ms. Kowalski's nomination.

(Kin Lau, ARB) Mr. Lau believes Ms. Kowalski is well-qualified for the appointment.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery is excited to have Ms. Kowalski.

The board approve Ms. Kowalski's nomination to the Affordable Housing Overlay Committee, 5--0.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says she'd like to touch base with Ms. Kowalski afterward.

Next is a position on the AMPUp committee.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says she's received a recommendation to have David Fatula serve on the committee.

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak says that Director Ricker invited Mr. Fatula to attend the last AMPUp committee meeting. He's happy to see representation from the Chamber of Commerce, and felt that Mr. Fatula had a lot to offer during committee discussions. He supports the nomination.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson has read Mr. Fatula's letter of intent. He notes that Mr. Fatula is interested in expanding recreational resources and commercial space. He wants to make sure that Mr. Fatula is open to wide-ranging discussions in the comprehensive planning process.

(David Fatula) Mr. Fatula says he's happy to be joining the committee. He has two kids and runs a business out of his home. He thinks we can continue to provide service and expand commerce in Arlington. He's open to conversations on these matters, and he'd like to have a seat at the table.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston thinks Mr. Fatula would be an excellent addition to the committee.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau supports the nomination.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery is also happy to have representation from the Chamber of Commerce.

The board asks staff to post openings for the two open positions.

Docket 3862 - 126 Broadway

(Rachel Zsembery, ARB Chair) Ms. Zsembery describes how the board will conduct the hearing. There will be a ten minute presentation from the applicant, the board will ask questions, there will be a period for public comment, and then a discussion among board members. Ms. Zsembery says she's like to close public comment by 8:30, to keep the meeting on schedule.

(Sarah Suarez, Assistant Planning Director) Ms. Suarez says this is a site plan review hearing under zoning bylaw section 5.9.3. The applicant is proposing to demo a two-family dwelling and construct a five-story mixed-use building with 1400 square feet of commercial space and 14 apartments. The apartments are one- and two-bedroom, and three are proposed as affordable units under inclusionary zoning. The property is in both the R2 and Mass Ave/Broadway Multi-family district, and the applicants have chosen to apply the latter. She notes that Arlington adopted this multi-family district due to a state mandate for cities and towns to expand multi-family housing options in areas served by transit.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says she wants to amplify the difference between special permits and site plan review. Special permits apply to uses that are conditionally allowed. Site plan review is for projects that are allowed by right. It means the bylaw has identified that the use is already allowed and the board will make sure the applicant adheres to the bylaw's technical standards. She says the use and height are allowed.

(Stephen Maimone, Applicant) Mr. Maimone says this is a rental project intended to meet the need for quality attainable housing, rather than high-end condos. Mr. Maimone says that his company manages multiple properties in the Boston area.

(Tim Johnson, Architect) Mr. Johnson says he hopes to meet the needs of the town and provide stable rental housing. This is a 0.13 acre site in the multi-family overlay. They're proposing to demo the existing structure and erect a five-story building. There will be one 1400 square foot commercial space, six two-bedroom, and eight one-bedroom apartments. Three of the apartments will be affordable. The commercial entrance is on Broadway and the residential entrance is on Everett St. The building will have an elevator, making all of the units accessible. They're proposing five parking spaces, 22 long-term parking spaces, a transit screen, and four short-term bike parking spaces. They'll build a new curb cut and install new curbing along Everett St. Mr. Johnson says they've taken several steps to break down the massing of the building. It will have recessed balconies and follows a tripartite division consisting of base, shaft, and capitol. Windows have a 2:1 or a 2.5:1 ratio.

Green aspects of the building include following the stretch code, and using all-electric heating, cooking, and cooling. The building will be dark-sky compliant and LEED certified.

(Alec Chongrias, Civil Engineer) Mr. Chongrias says this is a flat lot. The stormwater mitigation system will consist of 8 Cultec chambers under the driveway. They'll try to keep the utilities on Everett St.

(Kin Lau, ARB) Mr. Lau is supportive of MBTA Communities project, but he has some issues with this proposal. It's good to see the design changed so it's not overhanging the street. He doesn't think bay windows that protrude into the setbacks are allowed. He asks the applicants to check this in the bylaw, and adjust the design if needed.

Mr. Lau says the floor-to-floor height is 10', which suggests a ceiling height of 9'. He doesn't think that's enough, especially for a commercial space.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says they can look at reducing the height of the upper floors, in order to increase the height of the ground floor.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau this the first floor needs at least 13--14' height. He asks if there will be a flat roof.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says yes. It will be internally drained.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau asks about washers and dryers.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says they're still discussing whether to have shared laundry on stackable laundry appliances in each unit.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau asks about venting.

(Rachel Zsembery, ARB Chair) Ms. Zsembery says there shouldn't be any venting on the sides of the building.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau says that kitchen exhaust also needs to be addressed.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says they plan to use recirculating systems and ERV units.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau isn't sure about the window frames. He says it looks like there are double-hung windows on the lower floors, and something else on the upper ones.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says the intention was to make each horizontal layer different from the others. Each layer has different windows.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau doesn't think that's appropriate. He thinks there's too much difference in the way the windows are trimmed out. He appreciates the step-back and suggests breaking up the cornice below the top two floors. Mr. Lau suggests other changes to the facade. He thinks the 18' 3" drive isle is two narrow, and suggests making two of parking spaces compact in order to widen it. With a taller first floor, the handicapped parking space could be moved inside the building.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston thanks the applicant for proposing more affordable housing than the bylaw requires. She asks about their intentions for landscaping -- is it just grass and a stockade fence?

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson answers in the affirmative. They haven't proposed shrubs, but could do so.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston would like to see a landscaping plan. She asks where recycling will go, and where the exterior lights will be located.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says they're planning to use LED lights by the entrances. All of the overhang and balcony lighting will be recessed and downlit.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston would like to see the EV spaces called out on the plan.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says the plans show two EV chargers.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston asks about the width of the curb cut on Everett St.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says it's a two car driveway, and maybe 18--20 feet wide.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston asks if they're reconfiguring, but not shrinking the curb cut.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson answers in the affirmative.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston asks if all 22 long-term bike parking spaces will be on the ground.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says there will be 11 racks, and the upper racks will be spring loaded.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston asks about the width of the grass strip where the short-term bicycle parking spaces are proposed.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says it's an existing grass strip.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston suggests the applicants check for regulations regarding the distance from the curb to short term bicycle racks. She appreciates the on-site system for capturing stormwater. She suggests using Atlas 15 rather than Atlas 14 for stormwater modeling.

(Alec Chongrias) Mr. Chongrias says he can look at that.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston asks if the applicants have a particular commercial use in mind at this time.

(?) One of the applicants answers in the negative.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston doesn't see bathroom facilities for the commercial space shown on the plans. She struggling with the windows, and would like to see more consistency. She says a material board would be appreciated.

(Eugene Benson, ARB) Mr. Benson tells the applications that section 5.3.9 of the zoning bylaw has the rules for balconies that extend into yard setbacks. They can project up to 3.5 feet, if the area is less than 25 square feet. He says the board will need to see dimensions in order to verify those requirements.

Mr. Benson says he's concerned about the short-term bicycle parking being placed on the planting strips. He suggests moving them onto the private property.

The bylaw requires that street trees be planted every 25' along the front setbacks. He thinks the applicants will need to plant one tree on Broadway, and one or two trees on Everett St. He suggests the applicants speak with the tree warden regarding selection of trees.

He asks whether the applicants are relying on the commercial space or the extra affordable housing in order to get the bonus floor. He doesn't believe the commercial space meets the "60% of the ground floor" requirement.

Mr. Benson tells the applicants that they'll need to provide a solar assessment.

Mr. Benson says the accessible parking space needs to be the shortest distance from the elevator, and the applicants will have to move it.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says there are less than 15 parking spaces, so he doesn't believe they need to provide a handicapped space until a tenant needs it. The requirement is to show that a handicapped space could be provided.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson cites the regulation saying that one could be needed later. He notes that 14 apartments would ordinarily require 14 parking spaces. Providing affordable units reduces that by 10%, to 13 spaces. He tells the applicants that their TDM plan needs to say which three bylaw provisions they're using. He suggests the applicants think about how much to charge for parking. The legacy charges $175/month for outdoor spaces and $200/month for indoor spaces. He'd also like the applicants to think about how parking will be charged for tenants of the affordable units.

Mr. Benson tells the applicants that the town's engineering department will need to approve their stormwater plan.

Mr. Benson says he's a bit concerned about pedestrian safety. He suggests the applicants think about installing a mirror near the driveway. He thinks the applicants will need to provide separate dumpsters for recycling and trash.

Mr. Benson reminds the public that the board can't say no if the building meets zoning regulations. He says the board is trying to determine whether those requirements are met.

(Steve Revilak, ARB) Regarding the commercial space, Mr. Revilak interprets the "60% of the ground floor" requirement as meaning "60% of the gross floor area on the ground floor". He can't make that determination based on the material submitted. The first plan sheet has a table with "Gross Area", but it clearly includes part of the garage, and that wouldn't be counted in gross floor area. There's also a column with "FAR area", but the description differs from how the zoning bylaw says gross floor area should be counted. Mr. Revilak asks the applicants to review Section 5.3.22 and provide gross floor area footages for the commercial space and the first floor. He says it looks like they have 60% but he'd like to be sure.

Mr. Revilak appreciates the holistic narrative in the Transportation Demand Management Plan, but he thinks there may be a few mistakes. The TDM plan mentions a BlueBikes station at "Nichols Avenue near Arlington Street"; Mr. Revilak thinks that should be "Broadway and Grafton". He's not aware of a Nichols Ave in Arlington. The TDM plans mentions a zip car at Victoria Street at Massachusetts Avenue. Based on ZipCar's website, Mr. Revilak thinks that should read Victoria Street and Broadway. He asks the applicants to check these things and submit an updated plan.

Mr. Revilak says the ZBL's TDM provision requires three elements from Section 6.1.5.C. He'd like to have those clearly listed.

Mr. Revilak says he'd like to see specifications for the long-term bicycle racks. The bylaw says the racks can't require the bike to be lifted, but the board has approved racks where the upper level has a mechanical assist.

Mr. Revilak asks about some of the tables shown in the stormwater analysis. In a 100-year storm, the report shows peak flow rate going up but peak flow volume going down. He asks how that works.

(Alec Chongrias) Mr. Chongrias says that comes from an interaction between the stormwater management system collecting water from the site, and the overflow discharging into the town's stormwater drains.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery would like to see a sample board an new renderings. She thinks the colors and materials aren't matching, and she'd like the renderings to show the building in the context of adjacent properties. She doesn't think the tripartite approach works in context with the adjacent properties. She'd like to see more articulation to break down the building mass. She suggests the applicants look at 80 Broadway as an example of a new five-story development on the street.

Ms. Zsembery would prefer consistent window types. She asks the applicants to really think about the design of the commercial space and how it will be marketed. She thinks they might want walls rather than windows on the sides of the space. She asks how the garage lighting will work.

(Tim Johnson) Mr. Johnson says the garage will be down-lit.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says the board will need to understand how light spill will be prevented. She also asks the applicants to look at the maintenance of the current property; she'd like to see it properly maintained.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau would like to see updated renderings, because the current ones don't match the site plan.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says the board will take public comment until 9:20 pm.

(?, 89 Everett St) The resident thanks for board for following the regulations. He says that people will need to understand why this is approved. He says there's no bathroom in the commercial space, and he doesn't think there are underground utilities in the area. He says the building needs enough dumpster space and will cast shadows on 128 Broadway. He'd be concerned if he lived at 128 Broadway.

(Jason Haas) Mr. Haas says he's most concerned about traffic. A minivan traveling down Broadway hit someone and wound up on his front lawn. The old transmission shop provides parking for Arlington EATS, and the lack of off-street parking could reduce visibility. He says the town needs to think about road safety and drainage. He asks why this group wants to be in Arlington, and says that the building department issued a stop-work order on the property.

(Ratnakar Venkati, 21 Adams) Mr. Venkati supports the applicant's request for a parking reduction. He lives one or two blocks away in a home that's under 1000 square feet. He hasn't used a car to get to work in the last 15 years. There are plenty of options for getting around in this area: the 77 and 87 buses, blue bikes, and the commuter rail station in West Medford. He says this is an excellent walking area, and thinks their plan will work.

(Carl Wagner, Edgehill Road) Mr. Wagner voted against the MBTA density overlay because it was way too big. The houses are half the size of this building. It feels like we're probing the elephant. He suggests the builder reduce the project by 50%. He thinks that residents deserve one parking space per unit, or we should overturn the MBTA density bylaw.

(?, Oxford St) A resident asks the board to seriously consider what a sufficient size of the dumpster is, and to consider trees.

(Adam Rodriguez, Mass Ave) Mr. Rodriguez says he moved to Arlington a few years ago, and people can't afford basic housing. Arlington needs to provide young people with space to live. This building is a reasonable size. Mr. Rodriguez has lived here car-free for three years, and says there's pretty good access to blue bikes and transit. He says this is exactly the kind of place he'd like to live in. He'd like to call Arlington home.

(Asia Kepka, Silk St) Ms. Kepka has lived here for over 20 years and says a lot of people aren't able to get around without a car. Not everyone can work from home. She says her partner just lost their job and need a car to find a new one. Paying for parking is a big burden. Ms. Kepka says she opposes traffic, and that people rely on Amazon for deliveries.

(George Buckley) Mr. Buckley says this is the wrong project in the wrong place. A single dumpster isn't adequate, and five stories is a stretch too far. He says it will have serious impacts and cause shadows, and it shouldn't be allowed.

(Johna Silberg) Mr. Silberg is the father of two kids. He says Everett St is too high-speed. He's concerned about added cars. The street view rendering doesn't include 128 Broadway. He thinks the building is physically imposing on that house. He'd feel differently if they were redeveloping the old transmission shop.

(Alexa Brown, Fremont St) Ms. Brown says she's speaking for her friend who lives at 128 Broadway. 128 Broadway will be severely impacted by that project. There's an elderly resident who lives at 128 Broadway and has a handicapped space. She says this isn't a great project.

(Susan Stamps, Grafton St) Ms. Stamps thinks that, by and large, this is a great project, and she supports it. A few changes could make it fit in more. She suggests focusing on articulation. She suggests combining this with a new crosswalk on Everett St, because it's a dangerous crosswalk.

(Andi Wang, 52 Adams St) Ms. Wang seconds what Mr. Venkati said. She's lived without a car for several years, and the vast majority of friends that visit her get there without a car. She says that additional housing is not a threat to safety, and that nine cars is too few to make a difference.

(Dominic ?) Dominic says the side door will become a path, and asks if the fire department has looked at this. He has issues to look at from an architectural standpoint.

(Lauren Scott) Ms. Scott likes the analogy to an elephant. She thinks the commercial space will stay empty and will be set up to turn a profit.

(Paul Selker, Central St) Mr. Selker likes the project. The fenestration is a little weird, but the bay windows seem to break up the facade nicely. He'd be sorry to see them go. He's happy to see the bike storage. He asks about the distinction between showing that a handicapped space can be provided, and actually providing one.

There's no more comment from the public.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery summarizes the list of things the board would like the applicant to address. This list includes

• Addressing the issue of projections into yards
• Height of the first floor commercial space
• No venting through the facade
• Using one style of windows for all of the residential units
• Looking at ways to break down the massing further, particularly on the fourth and fifth floors
• Articulating the corners of the building
• Increasing the depth of cornices
• Removing windows from the side of the commercial space that will face a stockade fence
• Drive isle width
• Moving the accessible space closer to the building entrance
• Providing a landscaping plan
• Providing a lighting plan
• Providing a separate dumpster for recycling
• Providing dimensions for short-term bike parking
• Providing the location for new street trees
• Checking stormwater capacity against Atlas 15 standards
• Providing measurements to demonstrate that the commercial space takes up 60% of the first floor.
• Providing a marketing plan for the commercial space
• Providing a solar assessment, with solar on 50% or more of the roof.
• Listing the TDM measures proposed for this project
• Taking a critical look at pedestrian safety
• Taking a critical look at dumpster access
• Providing specifications for the long-term bike racks
• Taking measures to maintain the condition of the existing site.

There's discussion among board members as to whether "60% of the ground floor" refers to 60% of ground floor GFA or 60% of the building footprint. Mr. Lau and Mr. Revilak interpret the requirement as referring to GFA, while Mr. Benson interprets the requirement as referring to the building footprint. Ms. Zsembery says she has notes from a prior discussion on this topic, and will forward them to the board.

The board votes to continue the hearing to October 20, 2025.

Docket 3849 - 259 Broadway

(Sarah Suarez, Assistant Planning Director) Ms. Suarez informs that DPCD received an email from the applicant on August 4th. They're requesting to have their application withdrawn without prejudice. She says they're working through some issues, and need time to determine next steps.

Request for withdrawal accepted, 5--0.

Update on Special Permits for 1306-1308 Mass Ave and 190-200 Mass Ave

(Sarah Suarez) Ms. Suarez informs the board that the special permit for 1306 Mass Ave is valid for three years, but was extended by state law. The owners have applied for a building permit, but there's been no recent activity at the site.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery asks if there's anything we can do about the plywood covering the doors and windows.

(Sarah Suarez) Ms. Suarez says the Economic Development Coordinator has reached out to the applicant.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery thinks the owners are in violation of the vacant storefront law.

(Sarah Suarez) Ms. Suarez says staff will work with Inspectional Services to assess that situation.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston asks if the owners are maintaining the property and keeping the sidewalks cleared.

(Sarah Suarez) Ms. Suarez says the property isn't in the best condition. She can't speak to whether they shoveled last winter.

Ms. Suarez says the owners of 190--200 Mass Ave have applied for a demolition permit. They're doing hazardous materials remediation and waiting for the water and sewer lines to be cut and capped. Their permit is valid until February 2028.

Open Forum

There are no speakers for tonight's open forum.

New Business

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery received a request from the town moderator, asking what might make it easier for the ARB to prepare their report to town meeting. She'll forward this request to board members. Board members should send their ideas to her, for collection and forwarding to the moderator.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau says one of the buildings on Mass Ave near the MBTA bus turn around has blue tarps on the roof. He thinks that should be cleaned up.

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak noticed the town issued an RFP to update the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan. It seems like a substantial project, with a budget of up to $60,000 and a three-year timeline. He asks if staff can provide more information.

(Sarah Suarez) Ms. Suarez says that Environmental Planner David Morgan is leading the effort.

Meeting adjourned.