Weston Planning Board opens special permit bylaw discussion for large houses

WESTON — October 6, 2021 — Weston Planning Board explores special permit requirement for large new homes. Town counsel John Witten told the board Oct. 6 that current site plan review without a special permit "is really toothless," because conditions can be undone on appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Town Planner Imai Aiu walked the board through peer bylaws in Lexington, Lincoln, Wellesley and Cape Cod towns, all using MGL Chapter 40A Section 9 to control bulk and site disturbance above a defined threshold. Chair Alicia Primer said the goal is defensibility, not reach: "I don't really think that I want to be behind a power grab." Member Steven Oppenheimer pressed for a by-right floor area ratio standard to handle roughly half of cases, with a special permit reserved for the rest. The board will revisit Nov. 17, targeting the 2022 Town Meeting. Aiu also reported the 518 South Avenue 40B project has been redesigned from 200 units to 180.