Planning Board public hearing

Jack_LeMenager-6

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing Tuesday evening, February 4, beginning at 7:00 PM in person in the Select Board room for the purpose of considering two minor zoning bylaw changes. As always, any such changes must be approved by two-thirds of Town Meeting.

The first matter concerns the Subdivision Rules and Regulations. The Board would like to codify its normal practice of allowing the Town Planner to review ANR’s (approval not required) prior to the Planning Board’s review.

The purpose of the amendment is to formalize the existing process, streamline Planning Board meetings by ensuring only compliant proposals are reviewed, and improve the accuracy and the efficiency of the ANR application process.

The second item on the public hearing docket concerns the current fee structure of the Center Business District (CBD), the MBTA Overlay District (approved by Town Meeting last spring), and the North Main Mixed-use District (also approved by Town Meeting last fall). State law allows the Town to recover some of the costs of reviewing development proposals.

This change will seek to align the fee structure across the three distinct zones to bring them in line with current costs.

Jack_LeMenager-6

There are some errors in the foregoing post.

The purpose of the hearing is to review the rules and regulations for subdivisions, the CBD, the MOD (3A), and the MSMD (North Main). These approvals do not need to go through Town Meeting because the Planning Board is empowered to change its own rules and regulations. The design guidelines are outside the bylaw. The meeting was originally planned to accept the design guidelines for the MSMD, but in the context of a public hearing, they decided to expand it to address a few other topics as well.

Jason_Roeder-5

URGENT

Hi all.

This is a call to everyone to please engage on the Planning Board process regarding 10 Converse Place (renamed 33 Mt. Vernon).

Tonight I attended the PB meeting and a waiver was granted which will allow the developer to avoid creating a physical model, as otherwise required in bylaw. The rationale for this waiver is that the developer has created a digital modal (think google street view-like). This model is accessible via the WinCam recording of the meeting and there will be 1-2 sessions for the public to interact with the modal in the coming week or two. See here for the meeting materials, which will get you started: https://www.winchester.us/DocumentCenter/View/12967/2025-11-04_PB-Meeting-Packet?bidId=

This development would likely have a huge impact on the town center and the PB is really struggling with what to do. They need input from the public. Please consider providing that input ASAP.

Thanks.

Jack_LeMenager-6

Thank you, Jason. In fact, the applicant is going to be sharing the digital model again for any interested Town Meeting members or citizens on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 2-4 in the Mystic Valley Room.

Additionally, the latest iteration of their proposal, which was not included in the materials found online, can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/huc5amth.

If you would like to view the video of digital model presentation from the Planning Board's Nov. 4 meeting, it is available here: https://tinyurl.com/3k479u3e. Click on the blue “12:45” below to advance forward to the beginning of the demonstration.

Brian_Vernaglia-4

Jack_LeMenager-6 Thanks Jack.

And as a reminder, our Public Hearing on 10 Converse will continue on Nov 18th at 7PM, likely in the Select Board room, but stay tuned for the location. All are welcome, of course.

Jason_Roeder-5

Excellent, thank you both.

Brian_Vernaglia-4

FYI: The Planning Board public hearing for 10 Converse Place originally continued to Dec 2nd will be further continued to Dec 16th. On Dec 2nd the public hearing will be opened for the sole purpose of continuing to the 16th. The agenda will be updated tomorrow to indicate as much.

Carol_Savage-5

Tomorrow’s hearing (Tue, Dec 16) will take place in person at 7pm in the Select Board Room: https://winchester.us/Calendar.aspx?EID=12170

AGENDA: https://winchester.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12162025-6753
The Nov 4 meeting & Nov 18 meeting recordings are very informative, and I would urge Town Meeting members to view them. I’ve tried to understand the background and tradeoffs of this project, which is complicated.

I’ve summarized my understanding here (corrections welcome):

At both meetings, Planning Board members struggled with the building’s proposed mass and 6 story height (69 feet, 7 feet taller than the current 62' tall "Laundry Building” and 7 feet taller than the similar design that was approved three years ago by the Planning Board), and the board asked for additional info from the applicant, particularly the housing plan: # of affordable units & total units, proposed location of the affordable units, square footage of all units, etc. The new building would fill much more of the lot than the existing Laundry building, although (due to Conservation/Wetlands Protection restrictions) it would be set back further from the water. It would allow publicly accessible 1st floor commercial space on the pond side (the hope is something like a café) and commercial space on the Mt. Vernon side facing the public safety building.

Because the developer’s proposed building height does not comply with current Center Business District (CBD) zoning regulations, the project requires Planning Board waivers, which were granted in the 11/18 meeting with a vote of 3-2 (with the caveats that to approve the special permit which will need to follow, the board wants answers to the many questions they have raised).

HISTORY OF THIS PARCEL: It would be helpful if the Planning Board would provide background on this parcel for those who may be paying attention to this project for the first time. This is not the first development proposal to come forward for the site, which people may not realize is NOT owned by the town.

The first developer, Gillespie and Co., Inc., purchased the property but then went bankrupt and withdrew its proposal to develop a 43-46 unit, 62’ high, 5-story residential/retail building with under-ground parking after it was deemed not economically feasible. The Planning Board had approved that project in 2022, but it did not receive the necessary permits from the Conservation Commission due to issues with the project’s proximity to adjacent wetlands (Mill Pond). (See link: https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/the-winchester-star/2022/03/24/winchester-approves-condos-10-converse-place/7074740001/ )

The current developer, Paul Ognibene of Ad Meliora LLC and Urban Spaces, took over the project after the foreclosure on Gillespie. Ognibene has been attempting to move a revised version of the project forward, negotiating with the bank on purchase price and addressing the prior project issues with the Town.

Their initial proposal this past spring was a revision of the Gillespie proposal that split the parking between the basement and first floor. Later, they withdrew that and returned with a revised proposal: a 6-story structure on a footprint that is 2/3 the original as a means of addressing the concerns of the Conservation Commission by drawing the footprint away from the waterway. To make the project economically viable, Urban Spaces argues the building needs the sixth floor.

Ognibene referenced some of the background in the 11/18 meeting, starting at 2:08 -- [https://youtu.be/yIHkLldTj40?si=s1pyeLs7abK-VKsZ&t=7674]

More information, including a link to a 3D digital model, are available on the Planning Board webpage at this link: https://www.winchester.us/504/Current-PetitionsProjects

See WinCAM video of 3D model here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7kBzkqYox1Q

Nov 4th Planning Board meeting recording is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIHkLldTj40&list=PLYSKJaP89Pcv90ws6Q1T8q486IweLqzjo&index=4

Nov 18 Planning Board meeting recording is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEYiJwhnuq0&list=PLYSKJaP89Pcv90ws6Q1T8q486IweLqzjo&index=3

Carol_Savage-5

My Personal POV — I suspect any developer that takes over this project will push for maximizing height, given the need to set back from the water (which was not factored into land value when the first developer submitted plans). We don’t have access to the financials of the deal because the town doesn’t own the land — the bank does. This design is an improvement over the first one submitted, and I think it’s attractive. The public access to the waterfront side of the building with commercial (ideally a cafe?) could be lovely and wouldn’t be guaranteed with a new plan. I wish it were one floor shorter (I think everyone does), but unless the town wants to bail out a portion of the bank’s losses (which is unprecedented), I can’t see that happening. Meanwhile, a number of boards have submitted support for the project, because it addresses the “missing middle” housing shortage of home ownership opportunities.

Carol_Savage-5

See Planning Board projects page for public comments that have been submitted by boards and individuals at this link: https://winchester.us/504/Current-PetitionsProjects

Rich_Rohan-2

The Planning Board devoted its 12-16-2025 meeting in its entirety to a continuation of the public hearing on the 10 Converse / 33 Mount Vernon project. Here is a link to a video recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAouzOpKzlI (note: the meeting begins at approximately the 9:00 mark.)