HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - AHSC - 10/09/2018 Cohasset Affordable Housing Steering Committee
Meeting Minutes
October 91h, 2018
Town Hall
41 Highland Ave., Cohasset MA 02025
Attendees: Robert Jeffers
Paul Kierce
Susan Sardina
Bridget Bearden
Clark Brewer
Peter Matchak (Town planner)
Alexis Smith (MAPC)
Not in Attendance: Beth Tarpey
Jack Creighton
Peter Hobson
7:05 PM meeting called to order by Rob Jeffers.
Motioned by Susan and seconded by Clark to approve the September
minutes.
Recap of Selectmen's meeting, which provided an overview of HPP and
opportunity for Habitat project. Perception was that the Habitat presentation
was effective. Selectmen mentioned that trust still needed to be appointed
trustees. Trust document is in the general bylaws of the town. Peter will ask the
Town Clerk, Carol to see if she has any Trust documents on file, though it should
also be registered with the Norfolk registry of deeds. The Affordable Housing
Bylaw 30-69 will be circulated.
Alexis Smith, senior housing planner of MAPC, the largest regional
planning agency,joined the meeting. She described the process for creating the
Housing Production Plan. After the HPP is approved, DHCD monitors the
progress of housing production. Significant progress is generally considered a
whole percent or half percent of the housing inventory. For example, we are
9.5%today, if we got to 10% in 3 years we made progress. The steering
committee would like to better understand who retains responsibility for
fulfilling housing Production Plan on a go forward basis. Alexis noted that
implementation and monitoring will be part of the HPP.
The timeline for creating an HPP is typically 9-12 months. The goal is to
have Board of Selectmen approval in June. Final document will be done six
weeks before Selectmen and planning board vote. Nothing in this process
requires a town meeting vote. There is a need to petition for local preference
with each development, but only a certain number of units can apply to local
preference due to Fair Housing law. Town employees are not exempt from the
local preference lottery system.
Alexis indicated that as a committee, we will want to discuss goals,
comparison cities, stakeholders to engage with, and which of the long-range
housing plan ideas is relevant. The committee will reference who the school
does comparisons with.
Clark is still following up with Avalon footprint expansion. Paul is
continuing discussion with NeighborWorks. The town is looking at purchasing the
Esposito property agricultural and forest property.
The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for November 13t", place TBD.
Susan Sardina motioned at 8:47 PM to adjourn, seconded by Paul Kierce and
vote was unanimous.