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Record of Proceedings

Planning and Zoning Subcommittee Meeting – October 9, 2025

City Council — Thursday, October 9, 2025
BodyFramingham, Massachusetts
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, October 9, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 38:32

Transcript — VerbatimClick a line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:39

I'm gonna call the meeting of the planning and zoning subcommittee to order.

0:44

It is now 6 05 p.m.

0:46

I'm gonna take attendance.

0:47

Um councillor ward.

0:51

Yeah.

0:53

Counselor Bryant.

0:55

Yes.

0:55

Councillor and Bruno?

0:57

Yes.

0:57

Councilor Viani.

0:59

Yes.

0:59

Councilor Long.

1:00

Yes.

1:01

So uh tonight on the agenda.

1:02

We it's gonna be a brief agenda.

1:04

We have minutes of June 16th with some amendments.

1:08

And we uh minutes of September 15th.

1:13

Huh.

1:14

Anyhow, uh, which we don't have, I don't believe.

1:17

Motion to approve uh with the amendment.

1:20

Wait a minute.

1:20

Let me finish reading the agenda, please.

1:22

Oh, sorry.

1:23

Continue discussion action on MOU uh memoir memorandum of understanding for uh via COS VTT Clarks Hill property with the attachment members' reports and adjournment.

1:35

Going having said that, I'll go back to the minutes of uh the minutes of September 15th.

1:43

Um I thought it was on June 16th and 915 here.

1:51

Who who made the motion?

1:52

Janet Janet, uh do I have a second?

1:57

Second, all right.

1:58

All that's in favor, Council Abiani.

2:00

Yes, it's with your amendments, right?

2:03

Uh did she say that?

2:05

No, no, that's no, not uh not as amended.

2:08

Those are the original, I'm not voting on the amended minutes.

2:12

So then okay.

2:15

So then I have to say no.

2:17

Okay, councilor.

2:19

I said yes on the minutes.

2:21

Okay.

2:22

Council Long, I had three meetings tonight.

2:24

Just to put it out.

2:25

I understand that.

2:26

So I got a hard stop.

2:27

So I got on this because I wasn't gonna try to call for my phone in my car, so we could get this done, but I got a hard stop because this was scheduled Monday.

2:34

Thank you.

2:35

You understand that it was without the amendments when you voted.

2:39

I I don't I don't care if I got the amendments or not.

2:41

I just whatever we it's the minutes.

2:42

So however you want to.

2:43

I'm voting, yeah.

2:44

Just okay.

2:46

So this is without that.

2:47

So we have two yeses.

2:49

Uh Council Ward.

2:50

No, no.

2:52

Uh no.

2:53

All right, Counselor Bryant.

2:56

I used a couple of hours.

3:00

What's the noise going on in the background?

3:05

Well, okay.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing████████████████████████████████32%
Zoning█████████████████████████25%
Land Use Planning███████████████████████23%
Procedural████████████████16%
Transportation Safety████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Planning and Zoning Subcommittee Meeting – October 9, 2025

The subcommittee met at 6:05 PM with Councilors Atabiani (Chair), Bryant, Bruno, Viani, and Long present. The agenda included approval of prior meeting minutes and continued discussion on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the VTT Clark's Hill property. The meeting ended with a unanimous vote to forward the MOU to the full City Council, contingent on the developer providing conceptual renderings.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes of June 16 and September 15: After debate over accuracy and amendments, the subcommittee voted 3 in favor (Councilors Bryant, Ward, Long) with 1 abstention (Councilor Viani) and 1 no (Councilor Bruno?) to approve the June 16 minutes as amended. Councilor Bryant noted the minutes included her statement about possible technical difficulties; Councilor Long disputed the characterization, stating she was present and experienced technical issues. The minutes were approved after a motion by Councilor Bryant and second by Councilor Ward.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Jason Hogue (representing an HOA in the area): Expressed support for the Clark's Hill project overall but requested that new townhomes be similar in character to existing ones and that the road be improved and eventually taken over by the city.
  • Steve Strage (Clark's Hill HOA): Voiced residents' concerns about 200 units in their backyard, potential property value impacts, and seven years of construction on a dead-end road. Asked for a commitment from VTT to fix the road and for the city to eventually accept it.

Discussion Items

  • MOU for VTT Clark's Hill Property: The subcommittee continued debate from the previous meeting on the proposed 20 units per acre density. Councilor Ward expressed that 20 units/acre was at the upper limit and suggested 15 or an affordable-housing incentive to reach 20. Developer representatives (Attorney Garrahan and client Vio) explained that 20 units/acre (about 210–220 units total) is the operational sweet spot for full-time on-site management and maintenance, and that buildings would be small (24–36 units) and constructed over 5–7 years. Councilor Viani and others supported 20 units/acre, arguing the density is not high compared to downtown projects and that tasteful development would boost property values. Councilor Bryant noted the need for a balance between density and open space. The developer agreed to provide conceptual renderings showing both 20 and 16 units/acre for future council discussion.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote to Forward MOU: The subcommittee voted unanimously (Councilors Bryant, Bruno, Ward, Atabiani) to send the MOU to the full City Council for consideration. The motion included a condition that VTT provide conceptual renderings (at 20 and 16 units/acre) to aid council and community review.
  • Next Steps: The MOU and renderings will be scheduled for a City Council hearing, likely in November 2025. The developer also committed to addressing road repairs as part of future permitting.

Meeting Transcript

I'm gonna call the meeting of the planning and zoning subcommittee to order. It is now 6 05 p.m. I'm gonna take attendance. Um councillor ward. Yeah. Counselor Bryant. Yes. Councillor and Bruno? Yes. Councilor Viani. Yes. Councilor Long. Yes. So uh tonight on the agenda. We it's gonna be a brief agenda. We have minutes of June 16th with some amendments. And we uh minutes of September 15th. Huh. Anyhow, uh, which we don't have, I don't believe. Motion to approve uh with the amendment. Wait a minute. Let me finish reading the agenda, please. Oh, sorry. Continue discussion action on MOU uh memoir memorandum of understanding for uh via COS VTT Clarks Hill property with the attachment members' reports and adjournment. Going having said that, I'll go back to the minutes of uh the minutes of September 15th. Um I thought it was on June 16th and 915 here. Who who made the motion? Janet Janet, uh do I have a second? Second, all right. All that's in favor, Council Abiani. Yes, it's with your amendments, right? Uh did she say that? No, no, that's no, not uh not as amended. Those are the original, I'm not voting on the amended minutes. So then okay. So then I have to say no. Okay, councilor. I said yes on the minutes. Okay. Council Long, I had three meetings tonight. Just to put it out. I understand that. So I got a hard stop. So I got on this because I wasn't gonna try to call for my phone in my car, so we could get this done, but I got a hard stop because this was scheduled Monday. Thank you. You understand that it was without the amendments when you voted. I I don't I don't care if I got the amendments or not. I just whatever we it's the minutes. So however you want to. I'm voting, yeah.

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