Fire Station Building Public Forum

by Meredith Hall | Mar 5, 2021 | knowledge base

Fire Station Building Public Forum – March 11, 7:00 pm

The Select Board will host members of the Fire Station Building Committee and public for a virtual community forum on a proposed fire station at 432 Adams Street, Thursday, March 11 at 7 PM.

Please submit questions in advance to hwaite@townofmilton.org or call 617-898-4843.

The forum will be conducted on Zoom Webinar. On March 11 at 7PM, click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84127004810?pwd=T0xIWEkrR1hubHptdGFIN1M1MG93UT09

Or to join by telephone: Dial +1 929 205 6099 Webinar ID: 841 2700 4810 Passcode: 367911

This information was taken directly from the Town of Milton Website

SUBSCRIBE for UPDATES!

Understanding 40B projects

by Meredith Hall | Feb 26, 2021 | knowledge base

Above image: The Holden McGinley House, one of the historic homes that may be affected by upcoming 40B projects. It is my mission to work toward the Preservation of Historic Homes and gardens like this one, while seeking alternatives to high impact development that also increase the availability of affordable housing in Milton.

We hear a lot about 40B in Milton, but what is it really? 40B is also known as the Comprehensive Permit Act and it was enacted by the State of Massachusetts in 1969 to help address a lack of affordable housing in the state. 40B allows developers to override certain parts of zoning restrictions in order to build denser housing. This can only take place in communities where less than 10% of housing is considered affordable and so long as at least 25% of the unit’s being built will be considered affordable housing.

What is affordable? According to Wikepedia affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a median household income or below as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. In other words a unit which could be purchased or rented by a household making up to 80% of the median income of the area.

For more information on the 40B Project, and to see which proposals are being considered 40B in Milton, visit the links below.

The 40B fact sheet

40B Proposals in Milton

Gardens at the historic Holden McGinley House

SUBSCRIBE for UPDATES!

The Community Preservation Act

by Meredith Hall | Feb 4, 2021 | knowledge base

Above Image: Mill Building

The Webb Mill of Milton Massachusetts at Dusk - Photo Taken by James Stroud

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a Massachusetts state law passed in 2000 that allows the community to collect additional taxes that are matched by the state. This act is required to be voted into effect by each locality and was recently voted upon in Milton with an over 60% favorability rate. The funds collected create a dedicated pool to be drawn on for open space preservation, preservation of historic resources, development of affordable housing and the acquisition and development of outdoor recreational facilities.

You can learn more about the Community Preservation Act at the links below.

SUBSCRIBE for UPDATES!

The Role of the Planning Board

by Meredith Hall | Feb 3, 2021 | knowledge base

Massachusetts General Law, chapter 41, section 81A, authorizes the establishment of municipal Planning Boards. Among its many diverse roles, the Planning Board is charged with the following duties, paraphrased here from the Mass. General Law:

Adopting a master plan and official map of the city or town
Conducting studies, and, when necessary, preparing plans of the resources, possibilities and needs of the city or town for submittal to the Selectmen for their consideration
Serving as the local authority for the Subdivision Control Act; adopting Rules and Regulations governing the subdivision of land in the Town of Milton; reviewing all preliminary and definitive plan submittals.
Drafting and submitting zoning amendments for consideration by the municipality. When a zoning amendment has been put forward, the planning Board holds the public hearing and may report its recommendation to the local legislature.
Serving, in some instances, as the special permit granting authority (i.e. Special Permit for Open Space Development)
Serving as Site Plan Review Authority
Is always the “party of interest” in administrative appeals, special permit applications, and variance petitions within the municipality and in adjacent cities and towns;
Under Mass. Gen. L. ch. 40, 15C, the Scenic Roads Act, the Planning Board is enabled to recommend roads for municipal consideration, and empowers the planning board to oversee specified activities.

The Planning Board typically meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday evening of each month unless otherwise posted.