Re: The "Burden on Local Schools" Argument against Development
From: Diana Carroll (dianacalum.rpi.edu)
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2003 13:14:01 -0600 (MDT)



How are you going to get around the lot size requirement? Are you trying to
make it smaller, or set aside a bunch of land and build only on part of it?
If that were the case, it would be an easier sell, IMO.

Any more info you can give us?

Local zoning in most towns in the area we are looking at
have minimum lot sizes, minimum distances between houses
etc that prohibit co-housing.  BUT Massachusetts has a
law, often referred to as the "anti-snob zoning law",
which *overrides* local zoning prohibitions to developments
that provide a certain percentage of "affordable housing".
So part of our project plan is to go in through this "back
door".  The reason we still need local support, though, is
because the town can accept these projects gracefully or
they can fight tooth and nail -- the latter would delay our
project unacceptably, so we try to win local support.

We looking to buy several acres, build our 28-32 units on
a couple of those acres and leave the rest as open space.
But no way could that ever fit with your standard local
residential zoning rules around here!!

That's the short story. :-)  If you want to long story I'll
leave it to Mosaic Commoners who have been involved with
the project longer than I have.

Peace,
D!


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