Beverly's open-space rules could be stifling development

By Paul Leighton
Staff writer

May 07, 2008 05:45 am

—

BEVERLY — Are new rules designed to protect the environment discouraging developers from building in Beverly?

That was the question debated Monday night at City Hall as city councilors considered whether to amend the Open Space Residential Design ordinance.

The law, which the council approved in December 2005, is intended to preserve open space and protect wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas when developers are building on two acres or more.

So far, only one developer has applied for a project since the law's been in place.

"Do I think it discouraged some development?" Planning Board Chairman Richard Dinkin responded to councilors. "Yeah, I think it did. People hate change in their business environment. It creates a lack of predictability.

"What a developer wants to know is how many units can he put on his parcel, because that's where the money is."

Tina Cassidy, the city's planning director, said one developer did not bid for a 30-acre piece of land after determining he could not make enough money due to the open space requirements.

One of those requirements includes a 100-foot buffer zone where nothing can be built on the perimeter of a project. The Planning Board has recommended reducing that buffer zone to 25 feet, to make it more appealing to developers.

Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Scott Houseman, who helped to write the ordinance, supported the change to 25 feet, saying the Planning Board would still have the option of increasing the buffer when necessary.

Ward 1 City Councilor Maureen Troubetaris said the buffer zone should remain at 100 feet.

"More so than ever we have to become stewards of our land," she said. "Why are we changing the buffer zones? Only for profit."

The City Council did not vote on the proposed amendments. The public hearing on the matter will resume June 2.