Arlington Redevelopment Board - Jun 16th, 2025

Meeting held at 27 Maple St. Materials were available from https://arlington.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/MeetingView.aspx?MeetingID=2303&MinutesMeetingID=-1&doctype=Agenda.

Docket 3854 - 125 Broadway

(Claire Ricker, Planning Director) Mr. Ricker says the applicant owns a gas station on Broadway. When reviewing the application, staff discovered that there are two variances that affect the property. She's working with legal to determine whether the ARB or ZBA should hear this application.

The board votes to continue the hearing to July 21, 5--0.

Discussion of Board and Committee Appointments and Memberships

(Claire Ricker, Planning Director) Ms. Ricker says that DPCD can appoint two members of the Envision Arlington standing committee. One of those appointees, Alex Bagnall, is stepping down.

(Rachel Zsembery, ARB Chair) Ms. Zsembery says that Mr. Bagnall suggested that Envision Arlington might benefit from someone who'd bring a more defined focus to the group. Maybe Envision Arlington could help with planning outreach efforts.

(Kin Lau, ARB) Mr. Lau suggests appointing a local resident, perhaps an urban planner.

(Shaina Korman-Houston, ARB) Ms. Korman-Houston has two people in mind. One is a real estate attorney with a background in policy and the other works for the state housing center.

(Eugene Benson, ARB) Mr. Benson notes that one of the appointees should be a current town employee.

(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says there isn't a current town employee on the committee, but the Town Manager is interested in appointing someone.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson served on the earlier version of that committee, Vision 2020. It was helpful to have staff involved.

(Steve Revilak, ARB) Mr. Revilak doesn't have a candidate in mind, but he'll give it some thought.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says it would be helpful to have a discussion about engaging with the 2026 town meeting.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson says Envision Arlington also has an advisory board, which includes a redevelopment board member.

(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says she discussed this with former town manager Sandy Pooler. She's not aware that the advisory committee has ever met, but she'll discuss this with the town manager.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery doesn't believe the advisory board has a standing purpose. She moves on to the the next position we have to discuss: the board appointee to the Affordable Housing Overlay Committee.

(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says that Article 41 was a motion to commit, and it established the Affordable Housing Overlay committee. She's got a lot of concerns about the group being able to get its work done in time for the next town meeting. The Select Board has already advertised the position for their appointee and the Town Manager would like to have the committee staffed by the end of summer.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson says he wanted to ask town meeting questions about Chapter 40A section 5, and he'd started conversations with Town Counsel. The motion says the committee will insert an article into the warrant, but state law doesn't give them that authority. Section 5 lists bodies that can add a zoning article to the warrant, and he doesn't believe the committee has the authority to do what the motion is asking them to do. A committee member could submit the article with ten registered voters, but that would still be subject to the notice requirements. Mr. Benson wonders if the Attorney General's office will review the motion to commit.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery thinks it would be good to check with Town Counsel, regarding whether the attorney general's will review the article.

(Eugene Benson) If the article won't be submitted to the AG's office for review, Mr. Benson hopes we can request a review.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery thinks the board should continue looking for a candidate in the meantime.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau asks if anyone on the board is interested.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston suggests the board ask her, if a candidate isn't found by July 21st.

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak has a general observation about process. When the ARB brings a zoning article to town meeting, we generally follow a waterfall process. The work is delegated to a committee, the committee goes off and works on a proposal, and then throws it over the wall to the ARB. Then the ARB does what it does. As someone who's done a lot of "throwing" over the years, Mr. Revilak says this process is generally unsatisfying. Sometimes the board is okay with a proposal. Sometimes the board disagrees with a direction that was taken early on, and then built upon. Mr. Revilak thinks that most of the planning work for zoning changes should happen here, as working sessions during ARB meetings. This would allow iterative changes along the way, rather than trying to do a big course correction at the end.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery thinks the citizen group proposing the affordable housing overlay was very far apart from what the board wanted.

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak says he was primarily referring to town committees that are formed for the purpose of working on zoning changes. This issue isn't confined to citizen petitions.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery suggests Sanjay Newton as a board appointee, if he's willing to fill the role.

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak offers to ask Mr. Newton.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson thinks that any member of the citizen group would be a suitable appointee.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau thinks that Mr. Newton would be a good choice, but we should meet with him.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston agrees with Mr. Lau.

(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says that DPCD will be responsive to the needs of the board, with respect to the committee's work.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery would like to review the board's full list of committee appointees at the next meeting.

Discussion of Board Retreat Scheduling

(Claire Ricker, Planning Director) Ms. Ricker says that DPCD doesn't have a date preference for the Board's retreat, but she thinks earlier would be better. She's also interested in helping to craft an agenda for the meeting.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says this could also be a time for a working session.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson thinks the board should discuss other zoning changes that we're interested in.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau would like to have another checking with the Select Board, after the retreat.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says we can discuss that at the retreat.

The candidate dates are September 27, October 18, and October 9.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says we'll finalize the date at the board's next meeting.

Discussion of 882 Massachusetts Avenue

(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker notes that the board had a number of ongoing concerns about 882 Mass Ave including the color of vents, the color of the storefront, lighting, open space on the site, signage, window shading, and perhaps bike parking. She's been in contact with the owner's contractor. It's been a challenge to convey the importance of fulfilling the special permit requirements, but we are slowly making progress.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson says the site plan shows short term bike parking in two locations: on the side of the building, and also in front. The parking in front hasn't been installed. The site plan shows a thermo-plastic crosswalk across the driveway and that hasn't been installed. Finally, the commercial tenant has two window signs.

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak notes that the west side of the site plan says the chain link fence will be replaced with a concrete wall. He visited the site, and didn't see a concrete wall.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau says the board has received several correspondence about the site. He thinks we need to bring the applicants back in front of the board and get them to document what they are going to do. He notes that they've gone a long time without painting the storefront.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery offers to work with staff on a formal letter to the applicants, with a requirement to bring an action plan to a future board meeting.

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak supports this measure.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson says the lighting plan has not been fully submitted. He questions whether their TDM plan complies with the zoning bylaw. The three measures it lists are (1) unbundling parking from rent, (2) providing a blue bikes subscription to residents that don't have cars, and (3) providing bike parking.

(Shaina Korman-Houston) Ms. Korman-Houston feels that a letter to the applicants should include a list of repercussions. She wonders if the owners understand what losing their special permit would mean.

(Kin Lau) Mr. Lau would like to see the Director of Inspectional Services collaborate in drafting the letter, to get his input.

(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker notes that this project team has another building under construction (455 Mass Ave), and another site where construction should start soon.

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery thinks it would be worthwhile to review 455 Mass Ave for potential deviations. She asks Ms. Ricker to circulate a copy of the approved plans and the decision letter.

(Eugene Benson) Mr. Benson suggests separate correspondence for 892 and 455 Mass Ave.

Open Forum

(Chris Strauber) Mr. Strauber asks who's responsible for clearing the snow away from the bus stop at 882 Mass Ave.

(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker believes that abutters are generally responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks, and she'll check to verify.

New Business

(Rachel Zsembery) Ms. Zsembery says she's spoken with the Historical Commission about 265 Broadway. Their next meeting will be on June 30th or July 7th. She discussed having that board review the project before it comes back to us. She'll make an effort to attend that meeting.

(Claire Ricker) Ms. Ricker says the applicant has been notified that they'll need to appear before the Historical Commission.

Ms. Ricker says that Stantec will give presentation to the Comprehensive Plan working group on July 26th. This will cover work done to date, including more existing conditions analysis.

(Steve Revilak) Mr. Revilak suggests cross-advertising it as an ARB meeting, as there may be a quorum of ARB members present.

Mr. Revilak attended an urban planning conference last week, sponsored by an organization called Strongtowns. The group encourages communities to allow incremental development and they advocate for a unique form of financial analysis. The analysis starts by mapping out tax revenue per acre to see what parts of town are generating the most revenue, and the parts that are effectively being subsidized. The next level is to factor in a replacement cycle for roads, sidewalks, water and sewer, and other infrastructure. This often shows that parts of a community are "under water", and municipalities can (for example) add new business districts to balance that out. Mr. Revilak says he appreciated that kind of financial picture.

Meeting adjourned at 20:35.