This week we are focusing on TAKING ACTION. We need your help to move our pro-housing agenda forward.
ACTION ITEM NO. 1: Raise your Pro-Housing Voice for Brookline’s Comprehensive Plan
After years of “planning to plan,” the Comprehensive Planning process is finally, fully underway. Public engagement is a crucial element of the process, and public participation will significantly influence the outcome. A vibrant, diverse community is a priority for a majority of Brookline. This includes more housing across the income spectrum, more economic development to add jobs and customers and build a wider tax base, and safe infrastructure for all community members to walk, bike, roll, and drive around town, all while keeping a laser focus on lowering our collective carbon footprint and climate impact.
This week there are three opportunities to have your voice heard:
- Attend the in-person Visioning Workshop this Wednesday, Oct. 9, 7:00-9:00 pm, in the “new” Brookline High School building, 22 Tappan Street, in the 111 Tappan Street Café (Room 101). Learn more and share your vision for Brookline. No registration is required.
- Or, join the Virtual Visioning Workshop on Thursday, Oct. 10 from 12:10-12:50 pm (with optional discussion time until 1:15 pm). The online session covers the same topics as the live workshop. Register for the virtual meeting here.
- Finally, complete this Online Comp Planning Survey to share your thoughts. Whether or not you attend one of the workshops, it is important for everyone who receives this newsletter and agrees with our vision for a diverse, vibrant and affordable Brookline to fill out the survey here. It is open until October 20, but we urge you to do it now to make sure you don’t forget — and thank you!
ACTION ITEM NO. 2: Sign Up Now to Help Pass Pro-Housing Warrant Articles!
The next few weeks have a full agenda of meetings as various Town boards will consider key Warrant Articles for the upcoming Fall Town meeting, including our main priority, Warrant Article 9, allowing a third home in our existing two-family “T” districts (sometimes referred to as “Plus One”). This rezoning does not allow any increase in height, setbacks, or floor area ratio (FAR), so there will be minimal change to the fabric of our existing neighborhoods. This will benefit both existing homeowners and help the Town by adding new homes on a modest scale.
We are also supporting Warrant Article 8, which makes modest change in language which currently prevents even a second home on some lots in T and SC districts, and Warrant Article 15, which updates our ADU Bylaw to bring Brookline into compliance with Governor Healey’s recently passed Affordable Homes Act.
Besides supporting pro-housing Warrant Articles, we are carefully watching Warrant Article 7, submitted by the Planning Department. This article, adds a 2.5 story standard that limits architectural design options in S (Single family), SC (Single family Converted to 2 family), and many T (Two-family) districts. Our main concern is that this Warrant Article does not directly allow more homes in these districts, a zoning change we believe is necessary for Brookline to help solve the current housing crisis – which is why we filed WA9, Allowing an additional unit in T districts. WA7 is being presented, discussed and voted on by the Advisory Committee Subcommittee on Land Use on Monday, 10/7 at 7:30 on Zoom (agenda and registration are here.)
We need your help! We need people to speak briefly at meetings, to attend meetings without speaking, and to write short emails to key decision-makers. There are important hearings (so far) on October 7th (tomorrow), 15th, and 23rd, and November 6th. PLEASE sign up now for specific roles and so we can reach out to you when your participation is needed.