Weston ZBA votes to pursue mediation on denied 40B project at 518 South Avenue

WESTON — September 8, 2022 — Weston ZBA unanimously backs mediation with developer behind denied 200-unit 40B project. The Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-0 at its September 8 meeting to authorize town counsel John Witten of KP Law to notify the Housing Appeals Committee that the board will participate in a non-binding, Commonwealth-funded mediation session with the applicant, 518 South Avenue, LLC — the entity behind a denied proposal for 200 rental units, 50 of them affordable, on 9.54 acres along South Avenue. Witten, who told the board that mediation "never hurts to listen," noted the applicant bears the burden of proposing a revised plan since the permit was denied, and estimated the session would last no more than two hours at no cost to the town beyond attorney time. The board requested that abutter representatives — attorneys Dan Hill and Dennis Murphy — be included at the table, though applicant's counsel Valerie Moore had previously objected. The board also voted unanimously to approve the full set of revised hearing minutes covering sessions dating back to April 2021.