TOWN OF MARION
AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST
MINUTES
April 14, 2010
MEMBERS PRESENT: Ora Mae Torres, Chair
Roger Blanchette
Dorothy Burrill
James Grady
Jon Henry
MEMBERS ABSENT: Steve Cushing
ALSO PRESENT: Karen Sunnarborg - Consultant
Jay Crowley – Planning Board
Helen Westergard
Eunice Manduca
Ms. Torres called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
Mr. Grady made a motion and seconded by Mr. Henry to approve the meeting minutes of March 23 & 29, 2010 as written. VOTE: 5-0-0
Habitat Update
Kirk Smith from the Habitat has received a private donation. Mr. Henry will check with John Rockwell regarding the property. The property is acquired by the Marion Affordable Housing Trust and Open Space.
Housing Production Plan
Ms. Sunnarborg will include the Habitat property in the Housing Needs Assessment. Ms. Sunnarborg asked about the J&W Realty Trust. Our Attorney Jon Witten, Town Counsel currently has the file. The River View Landing units have been applied for and the 4 units have been added to our SHI. Ms. Torres noted that we are now at 90. Ms. Sunnarborg asked about Baywatch. Mr. Henry said they have removed trees from the site. The building inspector notified Baywatch that they were not in compliance with some of the terms of the comprehensive permit. A sewer plan was submitted. There will be 128 rentals and 40 for sale of which 25% will be affordable. Mr. Blanchette noted they do not have a permit for the 40 for sale. Ms. Sunnarborg noted that the comprehensive
permit was approved for 192 units. Mr. Blanchette said that he believes there was a modification made to date for 168 units. The second step of the modification was to take 40 of the 168 to sell. This modification has not been done yet.
Ms. Sunnarborg talked about the section in the Housing Needs Assessment regarding zoning and would like to articulate the bylaw that has anything to do with Affordable Housing or land use issues. She would like input from the Planning Board which of the bylaws are working and which need some tweaking. Ms. Torres mentioned a proposal from the zoning board to change zoning in one area of Marion. Mr. Henry noted that was withdrawn. Mr. Blanchette thought that it might be best for a special meeting in the fall. Ms. Sunnarborg suggested including it in our plan as a strategy. Mr. Henry agreed. Ms. Sunnarborg would like the trust members to contact Mr. Rockwell and invite him to the next MAHT meeting regarding available properties in town. Ms. Sunnarborg suggested that the
board may want to eliminate or re-visit the bylaw regarding family/accessory dwelling. Ms. Sunnarborg noted that Assisted Living is very complicated and very expensive. It is usually funded differently than Affordable Housing. Ms. Sunnarborg suggested that it would be useful to get information from the Planning Board regarding any of the bylaws that relate to cluster developments and how they could work toward affordable housing. Ms. Sunnarborg noted that she will have something new written up a week before our next meeting in May regarding the Housing Needs Assessment.
Financial Report
Updated financial report was distributed.
New Business
Groundbreaking ceremony for Little Neck Village has been postponed for now. The 2010 Leases for the current resident at Little Neck Village will be mailed out on April 15, 2010.
A motion was made to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted,
Grace Hatch, Assistant MAHT
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