Controversial Housing Development Undergoes First Zoning Board Meeting

NEWTON, MA – Newton’s Zoning Board of Appeals is set to discuss a controversial housing development along Boylston Street at a meeting Wednesday evening.

The meeting will be held in the Newton City Council Chamber (Room 207) and virtually via Zoom on May 24 at 7 p.m. No decision on the development will be made at the meeting.

It will be the first of a series of meetings discussing the development proposal, Ellen Ishkanian, Director of Community Communications for Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in an email.

The development at 528 Boylston Street was proposed by the Pennsylvania-based Toll Brothers Inc., who have requested a comprehensive permit under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40B to build a six-story development with 244 residential units total (61 affordable units) and 385 parking stalls on 5.82 acres of the land located at 528 Boylston St.

Chapter 40B is a state statute that encourages the development of low- and moderate-income housing by providing a streamlined permitting process and relief from local zoning requirements.

The proposal received public outcry from many Newton residents who oppose the project.

Close to a thousand Newton residents signed a petition created by the The 528 Boylston Committee, a neighborhood coalition, against the proposed housing development.

The committee said in the petition they believed the Toll Brothers were “exploiting affordable housing regulations to qualify for Chapter 40B exemption from local approval processes, local zoning, and other safeguards.”

The committee said they believe the current proposal would increase traffic on Route 9 by a projection of 1200 extra cars daily and cause irreparable environmental damage.

They did say in their petition, however, that they would support an affordable housing development on the property if it:

• Requires an independent traffic study to ensure that the project does not exacerbate Route 9 and local road traffic congestion and hazards or reduce overall safety.
• Retains existing trees to avoid flooding and other irreparable environmental damage
• Fits within the scale of the surrounding landscape

Correction: A previous version of this article misrepresented the nature of the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Wednesday.