OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Planning and Zoning Subcommittee Meeting - September 15, 2025

City Council — Monday, September 15, 2025
BodyFramingham, Massachusetts
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, September 15, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:39:39

Transcript — Verbatim
0:41

So I'm actually gonna call the meeting to order, seeing that we're already uh a little bit behind the eight ball.

0:48

So hopefully we can keep this meeting brief because I'm not feeling all that great to be honest.

0:53

Um so tonight I'll read the agenda into the record.

0:59

Um uh we have our call to order minutes of June 16, 2025, draft minutes public participation, if any, all business.

1:12

Um basically this is two items of old business continued zoning discussion actions on zoning amendments for Eagle Rock Apartments and uh VTT Clarks Hill property.

1:23

We are gonna take up Eagle Rock first, uh, followed by any member reports and adjourn me adjournment.

1:29

Having said that, um I will actually go to um and I'm gonna turn the meeting over and share the screen with Miss Garrahan, Attorney Garhan, and she's I'm gonna turn basically this over to her for the presentation.

1:46

So I'm gonna share the screen with you.

1:49

Thank you, Chair.

1:51

You're welcome.

1:52

Let's see.

1:59

Great.

2:00

So now am I able to share two or um you can share everything.

2:06

So you can put up um so this discussion, we actually did discuss the zoning the last time, and um hold on a lot.

2:18

And the last time we met, we actually did look at the zoning.

2:21

The additional item this time is the uh memorandum of understanding that was drafted by uh attorney Garaghan.

2:33

I reviewed it, I did make some edits to it.

2:36

Those were provided to you in the background material.

2:40

Kathy, are you okay with yes?

2:43

Yeah, I've just I was just bringing up this aerial first just to remind people.

2:48

Um, and then I'll bring up that that draft MOU.

2:52

Um so uh uh Eagle Brock wants to thank you for meeting with us again.

2:57

Um just for quick background, uh, on April 16th, the subcommittee voted to support a zoning change petition to change the map, um, the zoning map to allow a shift in the B district um to include a greater portion of the owner's split zone property, which would allow it to apply to the special permit granting authority for a mixed use project.

3:22

Um thank you very much for that support and are back tonight to talk about the draft memorandum of understanding, um, which we've worked on with um the chair of your subcommittee.

3:33

Um and we understand that when the zoning map change is presented to the city council, um we could at the appropriate time also discuss the um memorandum of understanding or MOU with the council.

3:48

So I will pull up the um sec, I'm gonna pull up the um memorandum.

4:09

This one.

4:10

Oh definitely I add something.

4:13

This one.

4:13

So on this um in your um packets, it it will say draft seven one twenty-five.

4:21

In the last couple days, um, the chair and I talked about some very minor, mostly style stylistic or um clarification edits, but so I'll use this this version that was updated in the last couple days.

4:36

Um can everybody see that?

4:39

I um I don't see anything.

4:41

I don't know what we don't.

4:43

Can you guys see it?

4:44

Uh it's very clear.

4:46

Yeah, I see it.

4:47

Okay, well, I don't know.

4:48

I apparently I'm the only one that can't see it.

4:51

So we see the word zoom.

4:54

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

4:55

You see the word zoom.

4:56

Oh, strange.

4:57

Yeah.

5:03

Should I click something?

5:05

No, you're good.

5:09

Uh we we've seen the document.

5:11

Christina's seen it too.

5:13

So yeah, okay.

5:14

So I'm just confused about why.

5:19

I'm not seeing anything.

5:24

Huh.

5:25

Okay.

5:26

Well, the the um, you know, the idea of the document is to memorialize um the the understanding and um the discussions between um the this committee and eventually the city council and the uh the owner.

5:46

Um uh the beginning of the document is you know, the background re reciting the deeds and what um lots are involved.

5:56

Um the um there's uh um upfront statements about what the developer seeks to do to develop portions of the property for mixed use project.

6:09

Um the it um references the site exhibit that um was given to you um uh that shows the zoning change.

6:21

Um you may remember that this project did not need a text change, it only needed a map change, just moving the zoning line and the existing B district regulations in the ordinance would apply.

6:36

So no changes to anything in the text.

6:39

Um the um talks about the city council and developer committed to working cooperatively.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning█████████████████████████████████████████████48%
Affordable Housing██████████████████19%
Procedural████████████████17%
Planning And Development███████7%
Community Engagement█████5%
Road Maintenance███3%
Economic Development█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Planning and Zoning Subcommittee Meeting - September 15, 2025

The Framingham City Council Planning and Zoning Subcommittee met on September 15, 2025, to discuss two major zoning amendments and associated memoranda of understanding (MOUs). The meeting focused on the Eagle Rock Apartments project and the VTT Clarks Hill property redevelopment. The subcommittee voted to recommend favorable action on the Eagle Rock zoning change and MOU to the full City Council, while deferring a decision on the Clarks Hill MOU to a future meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Doreen (Clarks Hill Village resident) expressed support for the initial Clarks Hill redevelopment but raised concerns about road maintenance, lighting, and safety. She noted that the residents were not previously informed about the possibility of townhouses on the property and requested that the developer address these issues before proceeding.

Discussion Items

  • Eagle Rock Apartments Zoning and MOU: Attorney Kathy Garrahan presented the draft MOU, which memorializes the understanding between the developer and the city regarding the zoning map change to allow a mixed-use development. Key points included:
    • The developer seeks to shift the B district boundary to include a portion of the split-zoned property, enabling a mixed-use project with one-, two-, and three-bedroom units and first-floor commercial space.
    • Affordability requirements: 13% of for-sale units and 15% of rental units would be affordable, following the inclusionary housing ordinance. The developer also offered a preference for military veterans and municipal employees, but the subcommittee agreed to remove that language to avoid potential legal issues.
    • The MOU includes a provision for the developer to make undeveloped land available for a community benefit (e.g., a nonprofit or conservation program).
    • Subcommittee members requested that the final MOU be provided with tracked changes; the version shown was dated September 12, 2025, and contained only minor stylistic edits.
  • VTT Clarks Hill Property Zoning and MOU: Attorney Garrahan and developer Vios presented the proposed zoning change to allow a planned reuse district (PRD) for the 13-acre property. The existing office building (100,000 sq ft) would be converted to multifamily use, with a density limit of 20 units per acre. The MOU also contemplates future redevelopment of the parking lots for townhouses or condos.
    • Subcommittee members expressed concern about the density cap (20 units per acre) and the expansion of the project beyond the existing building. Councilor Bryant noted that the original proposal was limited to the building, and the new MOU felt like a significant expansion.
    • Developer Vios argued that the density is necessary to make the project viable and to provide on-site management and maintenance. He emphasized that all future projects would still require special permit approval.
    • The subcommittee decided to hold another meeting to further discuss the MOU, particularly the density cap, before sending it to the full City Council.

Key Outcomes

  • Eagle Rock Apartments: The subcommittee voted unanimously (5-0) to recommend favorable action to the City Council to advertise the zoning map change and the MOU. The MOU will be subject to final review by the City Council, including any minor edits. The vote included Councilors Bryant, Ward, Bruno, Atabiani, and Long.
  • VTT Clarks Hill Property: The subcommittee voted to defer action on the MOU. A motion to refer the MOU to the full City Council was withdrawn. The subcommittee will schedule an additional meeting to discuss the density cap (proposed at 20 units per acre) and other concerns before making a recommendation.
  • Minutes: The subcommittee tabled approval of the June 16, 2025, draft minutes to the next meeting, after Councilor Bryant noted several amendments. The motion to table was approved unanimously.
  • Other Business: Councilor Ward requested that the subcommittee add a discussion of the central business district map and a working group to the next agenda. The chair agreed to schedule these items.

Meeting Transcript

So I'm actually gonna call the meeting to order, seeing that we're already uh a little bit behind the eight ball. So hopefully we can keep this meeting brief because I'm not feeling all that great to be honest. Um so tonight I'll read the agenda into the record. Um uh we have our call to order minutes of June 16, 2025, draft minutes public participation, if any, all business. Um basically this is two items of old business continued zoning discussion actions on zoning amendments for Eagle Rock Apartments and uh VTT Clarks Hill property. We are gonna take up Eagle Rock first, uh, followed by any member reports and adjourn me adjournment. Having said that, um I will actually go to um and I'm gonna turn the meeting over and share the screen with Miss Garrahan, Attorney Garhan, and she's I'm gonna turn basically this over to her for the presentation. So I'm gonna share the screen with you. Thank you, Chair. You're welcome. Let's see. Great. So now am I able to share two or um you can share everything. So you can put up um so this discussion, we actually did discuss the zoning the last time, and um hold on a lot. And the last time we met, we actually did look at the zoning. The additional item this time is the uh memorandum of understanding that was drafted by uh attorney Garaghan. I reviewed it, I did make some edits to it. Those were provided to you in the background material. Kathy, are you okay with yes? Yeah, I've just I was just bringing up this aerial first just to remind people. Um, and then I'll bring up that that draft MOU. Um so uh uh Eagle Brock wants to thank you for meeting with us again. Um just for quick background, uh, on April 16th, the subcommittee voted to support a zoning change petition to change the map, um, the zoning map to allow a shift in the B district um to include a greater portion of the owner's split zone property, which would allow it to apply to the special permit granting authority for a mixed use project. Um thank you very much for that support and are back tonight to talk about the draft memorandum of understanding, um, which we've worked on with um the chair of your subcommittee. Um and we understand that when the zoning map change is presented to the city council, um we could at the appropriate time also discuss the um memorandum of understanding or MOU with the council. So I will pull up the um sec, I'm gonna pull up the um memorandum. This one. Oh definitely I add something. This one. So on this um in your um packets, it it will say draft seven one twenty-five. In the last couple days, um, the chair and I talked about some very minor, mostly style stylistic or um clarification edits, but so I'll use this this version that was updated in the last couple days. Um can everybody see that? I um I don't see anything. I don't know what we don't. Can you guys see it? Uh it's very clear. Yeah, I see it. Okay, well, I don't know. I apparently I'm the only one that can't see it. So we see the word zoom. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. You see the word zoom. Oh, strange. Yeah. Should I click something? No, you're good. Uh we we've seen the document. Christina's seen it too. So yeah, okay. So I'm just confused about why.

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