The first project proposal submitted under the MBTA Communities Act has received design and site plan approval from the town.
That project, submitted to the Planning Division by Joseph DeStefano, proposes a five-story, mixed-use development with 44 housing units (seven of which would be designated affordable) and 6,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, according to Director and Town Planner Chris Ryan.
Per the project narrative, the plan involves the demolition of an existing two-story mixed-use building located at 43 White St., which contains roughly 10,000 to 12,000 square feet of mixed-use space. The site is located behind the Bank of America next to Tatte in Waverley Square.
Signed into law in 2021 by then-Gov. Charlie Baker, the MBTA Communities Act requires towns served by the mass transit system, such as Belmont, to create at least one zoning district of reasonable size where multi-family housing is permitted and that meets other criteria, including:
- allowing a minimum of 15 units per acre;
- being located not more than a half mile from a commuter rail station, subway station, ferry terminal, or bus station;
- having no age restrictions and being suitable for families with children.
Belmont, classified as a commuter rail community, was required to zone for at least 1,632 new housing units. In November 2024, Town Meeting approved a zoning map with the new zoning district.
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Though not required, the town has suggested DeStefano hire a monitoring agent, which is generally a role an affordable housing consultant takes on, for annual review of the units’ affordability.
Unanimous approval from the Planning Board last month followed discussion over whether that agent should have been hired prior to site plan approval. While the board expected to see something in writing, DeStefano—who emphasized he intends to comply with the town’s zoning bylaw, which requires the inclusion of affordable housing units in new developments—felt hiring a monitoring agent before a plan was approved was akin to “putting the cart before the horse.” Bond Worthington, the architect for the project, noted that an affordable housing consultant is already on board.
“It’s about $15,000 to hire one of these people,” DeStefano said at the July 8 meeting. “I’m not about to write a check for $15,000 when I don’t even have a project that’s viable yet.”
Ultimately, it was included as a special condition of approval.
“I’m a very big supporter of the project, and I just think it’s critical that we make sure the affordability is done correctly,” said Rachel Heller, who works in affordable housing. “We know this is a need in town. The monitoring must happen, and it’s fine if the monitoring agent is signed up after this step in the process, but it must be in place before building permits are issued, before people are moving in, because this is really a critical part in the process.”
According to Planning Division Manager Samantha Elliot, DeStefano will need to hire a company to put together a Fair Housing Marketing Plan and run the initial lottery. Those people are called lottery agents, she said.
Another condition of approval was a promise to coordinate efforts with the Community Path Project Committee.
“The preferred route recommended by our consultant … will run between this property on White Street and the MBTA tracks,” said Holly Muson, chair of the Community Path committee.
While she knows the timing of construction for the two projects isn’t necessarily in sync, Muson wanted to ensure the new construction didn’t preclude the ability for the path to be installed.
“I’ve always said I’d like to have some kind of synergy happen between the community path, the MBTA and the town,” DeStefano responded. “I’m looking to make everything accessible. My dream is to have Waverley Station be handicap-accessible.”
