Meeting Agenda

Below is the pasted journal for ADA Compliancy. See attachment to download the full version.

CITY OF WOBURN

MARCH 16, 2016 – 6:00 P.M.

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Roll Call

                                                                 Haggerty

_________________________

Pursuant to Title III, Section 12 of the Charter of the City of Woburn, His Honor the

Mayor called a Special Meeting of the City Council to be held in the Woburn High School Cafeteria, 88 Montvale Avenue, Woburn on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 6:00

p.m. jointly with the Woburn Planning Board related to the topic of housing.  The goal of the meeting was to familiarize Aldermen and Planning Board Members with the affordable housing-related information and analyses that were collected and conducted during the recent comprehensive master planning process.  This data will be used to address affordable housing issues, particularly with respect to Chapter 40B. _________________________

Mayor Galvin stated that the meeting concerned a proposed Housing Production Plan (the

HPP) for the city, and that the presentation would be made by a representative of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (the MAPC). Amanda Chisholm, Regional Planner for the MAPC stated that the HPP has to be approved by the City Council and Planning Board and then be sent to the Department of Housing and Community Development for approval, the HPP must be certified by documenting progress by the city in making progress on the plan, that the projected 2030 population of the city is 41,994, that the ages of 60 to 74 will be the greatest growth area, that 35% of households in the city earn $100,000.00 or more, hat 57.4% of the households in the city are single family homes, that peak prices for homes and condominiums was in 2005 which decreased during the recession and are now back to peak level, that more than a third of households are low income and eligible for housing on the subsidized housing inventory, that the median rental rates are higher than fair market rates, that 7.08% of units are on the subsidized housing inventory, that there are 16, 237 total housing units in the city, that a certified HPP gives the city a safe harbor from M.G.L. Chapter 40B projects, that the vast majority of subsidized housing in the city is affordable in perpetuity, that the intent of the HPP is not just to get a safe harbor from Chapter 40B projects but also to help address local housing needs, that there is a lack of clarity as to how to calculate 10% land mass attributable to affordable housing and very few communities have achieved this, that the local affordable housing ordinance could be amended by increasing the affordable housing component of a development from 10% to 15%, ensuring that all types of housing developments are subject to the affordable housing provision, and creating density bonuses or incentivizing projects, that affordable housing is defined as 80% of the median household income in the community which varies by community, and that the next step is preparation of a development constraint map which outlines development opportunities and constraints in the city with a final presentation for approval of the HPP in April 2016. Mayor Galvin stated that the goal is to allow the city to take control of development in the city.

_________________________

VOTED to dispense with the reading of the previous meeting’s Journal and to APPROVE, 8 in favor, 0, 1 absent (Tedesco absent).

_________________________

Motion made and 2^nd to ADJOURN, all in favor, 9-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:34 p.m.

A TRUE RECORD ATTEST:

William C. Campbell

City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council