Getting Units on the SHI

Fran StanleyFran StanleyHousing CoordinatorHousing Coordinator

Town of GrotonTown of Groton

Groton, , Massachusetts

Affordable Housing Units

Almost 50% of Groton’s Inventory of Almost 50% of Groton’s Inventory of Affordable Units was produced through Affordable Units was produced through

Inclusionary Zoning rather than Inclusionary Zoning rather than Comprehensive PermitsComprehensive Permits

Land Area:Land Area: 32.5 square miles32.5 square miles

Population:Population: 10,93710,937

Government:Government: Open Town MeetingOpen Town Meeting

Affordable Units:Affordable Units: 208 Units or 5.29%208 Units or 5.29%

Open Space:Open Space: 8889 acres or 41% land area8889 acres or 41% land area

Public Water:Public Water: 60%60%

Public Sewer:Public Sewer: 15%15%

Rivers:Rivers: Nashua & SquannacookNashua & Squannacook

ACEC:ACEC: Squannassit/PetapawagSquannassit/Petapawag

Groton’s Community Profile

Getting Units Getting Units Created by Local ZoningCreated by Local Zoning on the SHI on the SHI

What’s in a Name?What’s in a Name?

Before English colonists founded Groton Plantation in 1655, the area was Before English colonists founded Groton Plantation in 1655, the area was called Petapawag. Petapawag translated as --called Petapawag. Petapawag translated as --

““swamps on a hill”, or justswamps on a hill”, or just

““swampy land”swampy land”

Developers seeking sites for large housing developments do not find swampy Developers seeking sites for large housing developments do not find swampy land and certainly not ‘swamps on a hill’ to be an appealing topographical land and certainly not ‘swamps on a hill’ to be an appealing topographical feature!feature!

88% of Groton in an ACEC Zone

Groton contains both Natural Heritage Estimated and Priority Habitat (NHESP) areas and Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC)

Less than 4% of the area of Massachusetts has been designated as ACEC but approximately 88% of Groton is so designated

Groton has a number of zoning provisions that Groton has a number of zoning provisions that encourage creation of affordable housingencourage creation of affordable housing

Adopted Zoning Provision Special PermitGranting Authority

Required Affordable

Threshold Bonus Units Units Approved to

date

             

1982 Subsidized Elderly Housing

Zoning Board of Appeals

50% All No 4

1982 Planned Multifamily Residential Development

Planning Board Optional 0 No 74

1990 Flexible Development Planning Board 15% 10 units Yes 26

2005 Accessory Apartments Zoning Board of Appeals

Optional 0 No 0

2008 Town Center Overlay District

Planning Board 15% 6 units Yes, with TDR’s

3

  Other - Site Plan Review Planning Board(By-right 

Optional 0 No 5

Flexible DevelopmentTown permitting boards appreciate both the affordable housing aspect and open space preservation components of flexible development.

Site constraints have encouraged developers to utilize flexible development.

Flexible development typically leads to projects more fitted to the landscape and pleasing to the homebuyer than the conventional zoning endpoint – i.e., fewer cookie cutter neighborhoods.

Getting on the SHI: takes the cooperation of four players

Developer(usually a novice to affordable

housing for Groton’s small local zoning projects)

Affordable Household (novice)

Municipality (repeat player)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

(repeat player)

DHCD guidelines for local action units

The guidelines are designed to:

1.allow equality of opportunity2.protect homebuyer interests, and3.protect future affordability

Developers are creating the units and their actions set the pace of the regulatory review, marketing and sale of units

Challenge

Coordinate with developers to attend to the least remunerative portion of their project – the with developers to attend to the least remunerative portion of their project – the affordable housing requirements -- in order facilitate smooth rollout of affordable units that are affordable housing requirements -- in order facilitate smooth rollout of affordable units that are counted on the SHIcounted on the SHI

Sales and marketing delays for affordable units result in increased costs for developers.Sales and marketing delays for affordable units result in increased costs for developers.

Explain how an affordable sale differs from the sale of a market rate unit. Explain how an affordable sale differs from the sale of a market rate unit.

Provide sample housing documents. Provide sample housing documents.

Encourage attention to DHCD review points. Complete developer applications are easier to review.

Best Outcome: Units that count on the SHI and a developer

who will consider affordable housing for the next project.

Town of Groton’s Method to Help Affordable Units on to the SHI

Planning Board or ZBA Implementation:• Include clear, concise conditions in the Special Permit

• Establish a phasing schedule based upon market-rate building permits or occupancy permits

• Have flexibility with all parties while keeping affordable units on track

Housing Coordinator role: role:– Provides administrative support to the Affordable Housing Trust

and Housing Partnership

– Works with the Boards, developers, and the DHCD on legal agreements including lottery, regulatory & monitoring agreements

– Works with prospective buyers, renters, and others who may experience a housing crisis.

My Favorite Petapawag: Petapawag Place is a 25 unit My Favorite Petapawag: Petapawag Place is a 25 unit subsidized housing development located at the foot of the subsidized housing development located at the foot of the Groton’s favorite drumlin -- Gibbet Hill Groton’s favorite drumlin -- Gibbet Hill

Fran StanleyFran StanleyHousing CoordinatorHousing Coordinator

Groton, MassachusettsGroton, Massachusetts978.732.1913978.732.1913

fstanley@townofgroton.org