Marshfield currently has nearly 4% affordable housing, a figure that is well below the required 10% and subsequently leaves them vulnerable to projects that have at least 25% affordable housing. Under Chapter 40B, developers of those projects can bypass local zoning laws.
The project was proposed for a 30-acre parcel that is currently zoned for business. The town has also imposed a moratorium on apartment building but, as a town official tells GlobeSt.com, because it's a 40B project "basically everything is of the table."
The town's board of selectmen has sued in state court to overturn the zoning board of appeals' decision to allow the project, which involves seven buildings, to get built. The case is currently under appeal, but Beacon Properties, which had initially agreed to reduce the number of units to 180, now says that the court costs will force them to revert back to the original 198 units. The town official points out that because the reduction was based on the fact that the project could be cost-effective at 180 units, there's a good chance the Housing Appeals Committee will rule in their favor.
© Touchpoint Markets, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more inforrmation visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
