By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — A new over-55 townhouse development is being proposed for Ramsdell way.
Atty. Tim Doyle submitted Article 16 on behalf of developer Said Abu-Zahara for Spring Town Meeting, which will take place on Monday, May 16, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Lynnfield Middle School auditorium. He explained during the Select Board’s April 12 meeting that Grandview Estates is a townhouse development located on Ramsdell Way. He said the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit for the Grandview Estates development in 2010.
“The Comprehensive Permit allows my client to build 40 structures in total,” said Doyle. “The first component of the project includes 22 units, which we are in the process of finishing. There will be six affordable units out of the 22. The second component includes 18 units.”
Doyle said the citizens’ petition will ask Spring Town Meeting to rezone 4.189 acres of Ramsdell Way from Single Residence B to Elderly Housing.
“If the rezoning is successful and we are allowed to get out of the Comprehensive Permit, the 18-unit component would be reduced to 16,” said Doyle. “The 16 units would be townhouse-style buildings. Each unit would have a two-car garage.”
Doyle said rezoning the parcel of land would allow Abu-Zahara to complete the development or sell it.
“The reason why my client is seeking to do this, to be very honest with you, is because it’s a path forward for a project that is financially underwater,” said Doyle. “This rezoning will allow my client to build the 16 units, sell them at market rate, recoup some of the costs and hopefully walk out with a profit. Right now with the Comprehensive Permit, it is not a viable project. He has tried to sell it three times, and the prospective buyers have walked away all three times because they couldn’t get financing from their lenders. There is nothing to hide here. It is just a path forward for my client.”
While Doyle has yet to speak with Ramsdell Way homeowners about the project, he has discussed it with Grandview Estates residents.
“I think there is tepid support,” said Doyle. “I think they would like to see my client do a little bit more work on the development to bring it to what they expected it would be.”
Select Board member Phil Crawford asked Doyle if he will have more information about the project before Spring Town Meeting.
Doyle said he will have more information about the elderly housing development’s proposed design, road layouts and will have feedback from the Planning Board before Spring Town Meeting. He will be giving the Select Board an overview of the project at a future meeting as well
“I will be meeting with all of the abutters to address their questions and concerns,” said Doyle. “The timeline has been very compressed. I was brought on in mid-March.”
While Crawford said he supports having more elderly housing developments in town, he expressed frustration that the Grandview Estates development has yet to be completed after being approved 12 years ago.
“There have been several projects that were approved after this one that have already been completed and turned over,” said Crawford. “This one is still way behind.”
In response to a question from Crawford, Doyle said two buildings still have to be built as part of the first phase of the Grandview Estates development.
Crawford recalled that the ZBA and the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will both need to sign off on rezoning the property because Abu-Zahara was awarded the Comprehensive Permit.
“It’s a tough ask,” said Crawford. “The residents’ concerns have been brought to our board multiple times. I want to make sure their concerns are addressed in a timely manner before he addresses anything else. With that being said, I am still in favor of over-55 housing because I think it’s needed for the town.”
Doyle said rezoning the property from Single Residence B to Elderly Housing is the first step in the process.
“Our office has been retained simply for the rezoning,” said Doyle. “My client is well aware of all of the issues that have been identified.”
Select Board Chairman Dick Dalton recalled that he served on the Planning Board when the Grandview Estates development was first proposed.
“I want to make sure the parts that have to be built are finished so that everyone is comfortable,” said Dalton. “That is more important than anything because we want to protect the neighborhood. I think you have a tough road ahead of you timing-wise, besides the issues.”
Doyle said he is aware of the issues with Grandview Estates.
“I think we are in a position to address some of these issues prior to Town Meeting,” said Doyle. “I set the expectation for my client that some guardrails will be put in to make sure the folks who live there are protected before we move onto the next phase.”
Conservation Commission member Erin Hohmann, who is a Salem Street resident, asked if the proposed over-55 development would still include affordable housing.
“It would all be elderly housing, and there would be no affordable housing,” said Doyle. “Even if the rezoning is successful, it does not necessarily mean my client is going to be let out of the Comprehensive Permit.”
After the discussion, the Select Board voted to refer Article 16 to the Planning Board. The Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing on Article 16 for Wednesday, April 27, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the H. Joseph Maney Meeting Room at Town Hall.
Doyle also said a community forum about the project will take place on Wednesday, April 20, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Maney Room.