When you search for Arlington’s town government online, one of the first choices reads “Commercial Property Information.”
That is access to the town’s registration page for vacant commercial properties. Owners or managers are required to register when a property becomes vacant. People who don’t comply are fined.
This fall, Belmont may join Arlington, registering unoccupied properties – and fining those who fail to comply. Tuesday night, the Planning Board voted to move a proposed bylaw along to counsel. Once town counsel approves the language, the change will be presented to Town Meeting in the fall.
According to Planning Board member Taylor Yates, there are several properties listed on the Arlington site.
“We pulled the language from Arlington and adapted it to Belmont, and I think we are ready to send it to counsel,” Yates said.
Still, some outstanding questions need answers, according to Yates. Those include the size of the noncompliance fine, how much the town can charge for an administration fee, and whether Belmont can create a step-up fee, increasing the cost to serial non-compliers.
Finally, Arlington allows businesses to waive some or all of the fees if they host a community art program – hanging art in the windows of vacant buildings. Each member of the Belmont Planning Board expressed support for such a plan, saying it could be kneaded into the final bylaw language.
Belmont Center
In a February article, The Voice reported six vacancies among the 32 storefronts in Belmont Center. In subsequent months, one or two have been filled, but large spaces, including the former CVS, Bank of America, and Trinktisch space, remain vacant.
At the time, Select Board Vice Chair Elizabeth Dionne said it is important to avoid an event horizon in Belmont Center.
“It feels like we’re unfortunately reaching a tipping point,” Dionne said at the time. “I’m describing it as an implosion. If we don’t have a certain degree of foot traffic, it impacts all the other businesses.”
Dionne went on to say Belmont has simplified the restaurant permitting process and is exploring ways to allow boutique hotels in Belmont, which she says will increase the town’s tax revenue.
“We want to signal that Belmont is open for business,” Dionne said.
Does the Registry Work?
The Arlington registry, which now has about 20 locations listed, provides some basic information about vacant properties.
For example, the building at 5 Medford St. is listed as a freestanding retail space and goes on to list the management company, the point of contact, the size, age and most recent renovation of the building, parking, how much of the building is leased and whether it is in the floodplain.
A commercial real estate broker [who asked not to be named], who manages a property on Massachusetts Avenue, said the registry has been a minor issue for his clients.
“It’s a unique approach,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s the right approach, but it is different.”
In his experience, the registry, which first passed in 2016, hasn’t done much to generate new renters. Often, he said, business owners looking for a specific space cast a wider net in their search than what is offered in the registry.
He said a better approach is for the towns to build partnerships between the fledgling business owners interested in the property, the landlord or owner, and the town. Ensuring adequate resources are available improves the prospects of the new business.
In Other Business
The board heard from a property owner on Holt Street, seeking advice on how to proceed with development on the property.
The property lies partly in Watertown and partly in Belmont. Three two-family homes face Holt Street with a small access driveway leading to a large vacant lot behind the three houses. The access to the back lot is in Watertown, with the town line cutting diagonally through the property.
The owner’s representative wasn’t looking for a Planning Board decision, just advice on what can be built on the property and what permits might be required,
The result: The owner will begin by applying for a special permit to allow him to move forward with redevelopment of the land.