By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — Wakefield’s Housing Production Plan will be heading to the state for approval after the Town Council signed off on the document this week.
Planning Board member Theo Noell, who also served on the Housing Production Plan Advisory Committee, presented the completed plan to the Town Council at this week’s meeting. The consultant that assisted the town with developing the plan, Jennifer Goldson, was also at the meeting to provide support.
Noell called the Housing Production Plan “a critical strategic planning document for the town” that provides another tool to manage the town’s development and growth.
Noell cited the need for a “balanced approach to housing development and preservation focusing on affordability, availability and accessibility.”
Goldson said the Housing Production Plan helps the town to be eligible for more state funds. She zeroed in on Chapter 7 of the Plan, which outlines five-year housing goals and includes a 26-point “action plan matrix” for accomplishing the goals outlined in the plan.
The five-year goals include:
- Maintain Wakefield’s existing affordable housing stock above the state’s minimum 10 percent goal.
- Promote a range of housing options for everyday earners.
- Support independence and dignity for seniors and residents with disabilities.
- Allow strategic growth and remove barriers to neighborhood-scale housing.
- Increase transparency and public understanding of housing needs and solutions.
- Streamline local collaboration to support efficient implementation.
Town Councilor Douglas Butler, who also served on the Housing Production Plan Advisory Committee, said that not having an up-to-date Housing Production Plan hamstrings the town with respect to its ability to control unfriendly 40B projects. But that is not the only reason to have a Housing Production plan, he said, adding that the plan helps the town to continue to grow, while making it both livable and safe.
In response to a question from the board, Goldson said that the plan helps to strike a balance – allowing older people to downsize and stay in the community while encouraging options for first-time home buyers.
The Town Council voted unanimously to authorize Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio to submit the plan to the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for approval.