Town of Wayland to Host Community Forum About St. Ann’s Senior Affordable Housing Project

WAYLAND — The Wayland Select Board will hold a community forum to discuss the proposed St. Ann’s Senior Village Affordable Housing project next week. 

WHEN:

Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.

WHERE:

In person at the COA room in the Town Building, 41 Cochituate Road or via Zoom here.

WHAT:

The forum will introduce the community, town officials and staff to the proposed St. Ann’s Senior Village Affordable Housing project. 

The project proponent will present plans recently submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in the application for a Project Eligibility Letter (PEL). A PEL is required before an application can be filed for a Comprehensive Permit with the Wayland Zoning Board of Appeals. 

As part of DHCD’s PEL review, a comment letter from the Town is required. This forum will help inform the Town’s comment letter efforts, as well as provide feedback for the project proponent, to potentially refine its design or details in the project plans to be officially submitted for review to the Zoning Board. 

Town land use staff will present comments based on a preliminary review of the project. There will be opportunity for public comment as well. 

The project, as currently proposed, calls for the construction of a  two-to-three-story building with 60 affordable one-bedroom units, which will be rented to individuals over the age of 62 with incomes between 30-60% of the area median income. The project will be built on parish ground leased land located on Cochituate Road (Route 27) between the St. Ann’s Parish House and Windy Hill Lane. The proposed building will be two stories closest to Route 27 and three stories as the property slopes downhill in the back.

“We look forward to an informative and productive public forum on the merits of this affordable housing project and its alignment with the overall goals of Wayland’s Affordable Housing Production Plan,” Select Board Chair Cherry Karlson said.

Once a PEL is issued by DHCD, the Zoning Board Comprehensive Permit review of the project can proceed, which is expected in late March or April. 

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