The city council is currently deliberating a proposed zoning change that would allow Northland LLC to build a group of seven story buildings at the corner of Main and Moody Streets. This proposed change affects only one city block. At the public hearing last week, Attorney Connors representing the developers said, “it really is just one building on one foundation’.
These facts make it clear that this proposal, as it stands, is spot zoning. Bill Creonte, Chairman of the Board of Survey and Planning agrees. Last night (12/18) at a joint meeting with the city council he stated that he thought the proposal was spot zoning. You would think that the issue would be dead. But as we all know in the land of Waltham development, things are not always as they seem. Councillor Collura said she would be in favor of it if we tweaked it. I fail to see how one can support an illegal act by tweaking it.
Why is it that almost every development proposal that comes forward is on a scale larger than allowed by our current zoning ordinances? Why is it that almost no development is ever built by right? A company will only spend a lot of money on non-conforming plans if they think that they can get them approved. It is time for the City Council to become more concerned with the survival of our neighborhoods than maximizing every developer’s profit margin.
A mixed use development at this location could be a shot in the arm for the downtown area. However, if the developer comes back with a new proposal that meets current zoning, the number of residential units must be significantly reduced. Over development is worse than no development, because once the damage is done our children will be stuck with the problems that were created.
