See Dover Heights update below the following notice. We'll update this page when we get news on what happens at Dover Heights. NOTICE: While this site is committed to educating people about the concerns around zoning that can harm people...Below here and several OTHER PAGES on this site are OLD INFO, Specific to Acton, Massachusts, from before the Acton 2024 Town Meeting vote. This site is committed to educating people about concerns around zoning that can harm people...
See below and several other pages on this site have info specific to the Acton 2024 Town Meeting votes to rezone Acton.
NOTE: If there are errors in the Town Meeting info on ResponsibleZoning.org, please know the the authors did not intend to publish errors. The Town refused to provide numbers and we did our best to estimate based on work by local volunteer financial analysts/engineers.
We plan to keep the info below
for historical purposes, because it may b
Dover Heights UPDATE
published 5/3/24
An abutter [neighbor] reported Dover Heights has just been surveyed!
Why is that important? Read on!
70 modest income families live at the Dover Heights apartment complex on Central Street.
The town claims that the Dover Heights tenants do not have to "worry" about MBTA zoning.
Should tenants worry?
When surveyors show up at the home you're renting you may have cause to be concerned.
Far too often in Massachusetts, housing speculators buy land where tenants live and evict them to make way for gentrification
Tenants are aware that MBTA zoning will allow the owner of Dover Heights to build 350 condos at Dover Heights, where 72 units now stand. [check the number yourself. In the proposed zoning bylaw, page 55, scroll down to the chart on page 61. NOTE: 25 units per acre, and then use the Town's tool to measure the site, 117 Central, two parcels owned by the same company, 26 acres times 25 units/acre =350] Allowing so many units [condos] on that site would create an economic incentive for the owner to raze the buildings and build new condos.
Tenants are aware that MBTA zoning will allow the owner of Dover Heights to build 350 condos at Dover Heights, where 72 units now stand. [check the number yourself. In the proposed zoning bylaw, page 55, scroll down to the chart on page 61. NOTE: 25 units per acre, and then use the Town's tool to measure the site, 117 Central, two parcels owned by the same company, 26 acres times 25 units/acre =350] Allowing so many units [condos] on that site would create an economic incentive for the owner to raze the buildings and build new condos.
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Tenants expressed their concern at the Planning Board's hearing on the matter. They asked the town to remove the Dover Heights property from the proposed zoning, citing that if the goal for MBTA Zoning is to be inclusive and affordable, then rezoning to create and incentive to build so many new units is contrary to the stated community goal.
The apartment complex is currently considered "naturally occurring affordable housing". MBTA Zoning would not only create an economic incentive to make it LESS affordable by incenetivizing new building, but where will the tenants live while the new housing is being built?
The apartment complex is currently considered "naturally occurring affordable housing". MBTA Zoning would not only create an economic incentive to make it LESS affordable by incenetivizing new building, but where will the tenants live while the new housing is being built?
What we heard from the town in response:
1. We already took out a whole apartment complex [Parker Street apartments] from MBTA Zoning, so we already helped tenants
2. We talked to the Dover Heights owner and he said he has "no plans" to do that
3. Hundreds of condos can fit on that site
What about these responses?
Let's take one at a time
1. We already took out Parker Street Apartments. That has nothing to do with leaving Dover Heights vulnerable to this zoning change.
2. Dover Heights owner has "no plans". Of course he has no plans to put 350 condos at the Dover Heights site. It's currently illegal! but if this zoning passes, it'll be legal. THAT is when he is likely to make plans. Who would turn away tens of millions of dollars in profit? [click for more on this] Also, why would tenants take "verbal assurances" when they can just vote down MBTA zoning and not have to worry as much?
3. Hundreds of condos can't it. Well. We used the very easy to use Town GIS system to measure, and then used the proposed zoning article's building parameters to calculate what can fit on the upland [non-wetland] portion of the property. And we believe there is PLENTY of room for 350 condos.