I am puzzled by the opposition to the Planning Board’s proposed zoning overlay for Belmont Center and Concord Avenue.
The proposal seems to strike a careful balance between fostering new development and preserving Belmont’s small-town character that we all value. It is clear from the Center’s empty storefronts that we need new types of economic activity to keep our town vibrant. We also need more residential units to ease the pain of rising house prices. The overlay achieves both objectives while retaining control over the look and feel of what eventually gets built.
Readers should email their Town Meeting members urging them to vote for this proposal and ensure a strong future for Belmont.
Jonathan Hakim, Elm Street