Swampscott residents get their zoning questions answered

SWAMPSCOTT— The Planning Board held a public forum regarding the four proposed amendments to the town’s zoning bylaw, which will be voted on in the upcoming Town Meeting.

The hearing comes in the aftermath of an information session held by the board in late March. The latest meeting however provided residents with an opportunity to ask questions and share their opinions.

The first amendment reviewed was the zoning act itself, titled “MBTA Communities Zoning.”

Swampscott is considered an “MBTA Community” due to the presence of its commuter rail station and bus lines. Two of the biggest requirements include a density of 15 units per acre and a minimum multi-family unit capacity of 954. The proposed article comfortably surpasses the minimum requirements, with 35 and 25 units per acre with the Essex Street and Vinnin Square overlays respectively, and 1,148 in multi-family unit capacity.

When asked by resident Sue Burgess, Assistant Town Administrator and Director of Planning and Use S. Peter Kane named specific locations that are currently located within both overlays.

“The existing conditions in Essex Street are from the Burke Dance Studio all the way to the offices just before the bridge overpass,” Kane explained. “The Vinnin Square portion includes the Landing on Paradise Road and Crown Point, Vantage Terrace, Hawthorne Crossing, and the Avery.”

School Committee Vice Chair John Giantis attended the meeting, as he sought clarification on one portion of the amendment’s description.

“To the extent necessary, additional sections of the zoning bylaw may be amended relative to this multi-family use,” the description reads.

Kane responded by saying that the zoning map itself cannot be amended without going through the channel of its own separate Town Meeting article, and that the sentence Giantis referred to is not present in the bylaw itself.

Resident Maura Lau inquired about whether commercial tax rates would be affected by rezoning. Kane answered that a small number of locations included in the Essex Street area are actually used commercially.

“Our business zones allow for multi-family so it is multi-family. It’s not commercial, so you wouldn’t lose that tax benefit,” Kane said. “Zoning bylaws can’t dictate tax rates.”

The deadline to comply with the state’s mandate is Dec. 31. According to Kane, Swampscott remains on schedule with its effort.

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