Weston Planning Board Narrows 3A Housing Site Options Ahead of December Deadline

WESTON — July 10, 2024 — Weston's Planning Board reviewed more than a dozen potential sites for state-mandated multifamily zoning, moving toward a compliance strategy ahead of a December 31 deadline. Under the MBTA Communities Act, Weston must zone for at least 750 units across 50 acres, with 300 units required within a half mile of a commuter rail station. Town Planner Ima and Assistant Town Planner Christine Zale presented site analyses rating parcels from "highly probable" development — Boston Properties near Kendall Green and the Greatland/Riverside site near Riverside station — to "highly unlikely" candidates such as Maplewood Senior Living and Stonegate that could provide paper compliance without triggering significant construction. Chair Leslie Glynn cautioned that concentrating density in the two large commercial zones risked de facto economic segregation, noting that market-rate units there would likely sell for $1 million to $2 million with no current mechanism to cap prices. Vice Chair Alex Selvig clarified for any residents following the discussion that the board has not voted to rezone any property and cannot do so unilaterally: "We're not planning to put stuff on these parcels — we're just thinking where we could choose compliance."