🔨 We're Complying, Not Suing
Planning Board Hearing Held | School Committee Makes Statement About Zoning | FPD Saves Two People in Reservoir | D3 Meeting This Week | Early Voting Begins | Community Events | The Civic Week Ahead
Happy National Apple Day, Framingham!
Discussion around the Sisitsky Administration’s plan to comply with the MBTA Communities Act continues to heat up.
Thank you to those who took my survey to get your thoughts.
The survey will stay open for the rest of the week. Results will be shared in next week’s issue, the day before the Council’s public hearing. Share your thoughts by clicking the button below. ⤵️
Residents Weigh In as Planning Board Moves Forward
Nearly 100 people attended in person and virtually the Planning Board’s public hearing regarding the Sisitsky’s Administration’s plan to comply with the MBTA Communities Act.
No waiver, no lawsuit: For weeks, the Facebook groups and neighborhood meetings were buzzing with ideas to challenge the required zoning changes - until Planning Board Chair Kristina Johnson finally set the record straight. Johnson made it clear: the Sisitsky Administration has no plans to follow Milton’s lead in suing the state.
“We are not suing. We are not litigating. The Administration made that clear,” said Johnson.
Johnson clarified there’s no waiver for counting existing multi-family housing under the law, a point recently backed by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, and Governor Maura Healey. She told the audience Mayor Sisitsky got the same message straight from the source in his meeting with the Governor last week at the State House.
What they said: “The Mayor’s positioning here is that we are not putting the city in jeopardy of losing critical money to do good projects… the Administration also wanted to go forward. We are not discussing the litigation in Milton, that may be adjudicated long after we make any decisions. We are moving ahead with compliance. We believe we had a thoughtful and collaborative process going forward.,” said Johnson.
Environmental reviews stand: Even with by-right construction, wetlands and other environmental impacts will still be reviewed by the Conservation Commission and all state and local regulations will be followed as part of the process.
The mood of the room: A majority of those who spoke expressed their concerns about the Nobscot part of the plan, mostly requesting removal of the neighborhood from the proposal. Concerns about the strain on Framingham’s infrastructure, including schools, traffic, and noise, were raised. Others said the community needs to do its part in tackling the housing crisis.
A number of residents focused on Framingham’s lack of strategic planning to help guide the process and address the infrastructure concerns. One resident said Framingham has “no heart or foresight in the future”.
New parcels cannot be added: Citing lack of appropriate time for a legal notice, Johnson said parcels cannot be added to the map because it would require the process to start over.
What the Planning Board decided: The role of the Board is to make a formal recommendation to the Council, who then approves the final zoning plan. After much discussion, the Board voted 3-1 to adjust the units per acre from 30 back to 15 in Nobscot and Saxonville. The proposal is sent to the Council.
Next steps: The Council Planning and Zoning Subcommittee meets tonight at 6pm on Zoom to discuss the proposal. The Council holds its public hearing on the proposal next Tuesday, October 29 at 7:00pm in the Blumer Room. The Council can tweak and change the proposal before taking a final vote.
This is not over yet.
School Committee to Mayor, Council & Planning Board: Don’t Overlook the Impact on Schools
The School Committee expressed concern about the impact the additional units would have on our schools and infrastructure at their last meeting.
Schools must be considered: Chair Jessica Barnhill of District 8 asked city leaders to consider the new southside elementary school, early childhood education, transportation, and affordable housing when working through the zoning process. The School Committee voted in favor of sending a memo to the Planning Board and Council regarding these concerns.
What is the impact?: FPS Executive Director of Finance and Operations Lincoln Lynch explained research shows that .15 students per unit are expected through the Sisitsky proposal. Multiplied that by 4,355 units required to be in compliance results in roughly 650 new students gradually overtime.
However, both Lynch and Superintendent Bob Tremblay said they see student enrollment increase when the sales of single-family homes also increases, as younger families are moving in. Lately, these sales have slowed which is why FPS is seeing a decrease in enrollment.
What they said: “So, while we use this formula with the .15 per unit, that is based on historical data and should not be used as the set-in-stone number that will happen. We don’t know until they show up… until they build it and they lease all the apartments,” said Lynch.
Having their voice heard: Adam Freudberg of District 4 echoed Barnhill’s concerns that SC needs to have a role in the process. “We just need to make sure that our voice is heard…I don’t think the City Council knows and the Planning Board yet knows the 600-plus number of kids that would come from this,” Freudberg said.
Addressed at Planning Board: Planning Board Chair Kristina Johnson addressed the School Committee’s memo, reminding everyone that considering school enrollment in zoning decisions breaks the federal Fair Housing Act. Framingham can’t base its housing plans on classroom counts.
“We can look at it and we appreciate having that information. But we cannot consider that in our decision making. We appreciate the information put forward by the School Committee,” said Johnson.
FPD Saves Two People in Reservoir
Heroic actions: Around 12:46am on Sunday, October 20, FPD officers responded to Salem End Road at the Sudbury Reservoir for a report of an overturned vehicle in the water.
According to a post on the Framingham Police Facebook page, Officer Connor Macleod found the vehicle partially submerged in waist-deep water. Officer Macleod made his way down a steep hill and waded into the water where he recognized that two individuals were still inside the vehicle, unable to escape.
Despite mud, water, and damage to the vehicle, Officer Macleod was able to open the front door and free one of the passengers. Officer Macleod entered the vehicle and discovered that the remaining individual was above the water line, but was unable to be pulled from the car.
Officer Macleod and Officer John DiPasquale, who had since arrived on scene to assist, decided to wait for Framingham Fire to safely extricate the individual.
Framingham Fire Arrived: Framingham Fire Department’s Tower 1, Engine 1, and Rescue 1, manned by Group 2, utilized the jaws of life to free the second passenger from the vehicle.
Passengers safe: Both passengers were evaluated on scene by Brewster EMS personnel and eventually transported to UMass Worcester for further treatment.
Driver Charged: According to the post on the FPD Facebook page, the driver of the car is being charged with Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol, Marked Lanes Violation, and Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle.
Thank you, FPD, FFD and Brewster EMS: While I occasionally, write about police or fire matters, I felt it was important to share with The Ham’er community the heroic acts of Officers Macleod and DiPasquale and FFD. We are incredibly fortunate to have these individuals keeping us safe every day.
D3 Community Meeting This Thursday
Mayor Sisitsky comes to District 3 on Thursday, October 24. Join the Mayor at Brophy School from 7:00pm to 8:00 pm. Mayor invited District 3 Councilor Adam Steiner and District 3 School Committee member Jennifer Moshe to join him.
(This is my district - see you there!)
Early Voting Begins
Vote Early: For those wishing to skip the busy lines on Election Day, November 5, you can vote early at the Memorial Building and the McAuliffe Branch Library. Please see the schedule above.
Not registered to vote?: The deadline to register to vote for the November 5 Election is Saturday, October 26. In-person registration closes at 5:00 PM and online registration closes at 11:59 PM. To register to vote, please visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website.
For more information: Your go to for all questions regarding voting and the election is our fabulous City Clerk’s Office. You can visit their website or call them at 508-532-5520.
Community Events
Kids and Paws for a Cause: Support Daniel’s Table on Sunday, October 27 at 1:00pm-3:00pm at Farm Pond Park. Costume Parade for Kids and PETS! Dress up and join us for this fun event! Please bring one nonperishable food or pet food item and help fight food insecurity for our neighbors and their 4 or 2 legged friends. Items to be donated to Daniel's Table. If you are interested in popping up as a vendor, please get in touch with us info@danielstabl.org
Jeff’s Place Annual Memory Walk & Move: Join us for a heartfelt morning of celebration and remembrance on Sunday, October 27 at 10:00 AM. Enjoy a short stroll of less than two miles beginning at Jeff’s Place, and afterward, join us for a celebration filled with snacks, a bouncy house, arts and crafts, and much more. For more information, click here to visit their website.
3rd Annual Halloween Farm & Food Fest: Time for Framingham's annual Halloween Farm & Food Fest at Eastleigh Farm (1062 Edmands Road). Saturday, October 26 from 11:00am-4:00pm. Artisans and vendors, food trucks, farm animals, and music! Visit the Facebook event page for a list of vendors and food trucks.
National Drug Take Back Day: Residents can rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs this Saturday, October 26, when the Framingham Health Department, the Framingham Police Department, and Medical Reserves Corp. will host a Drug Take Back Day, via a free and anonymous drive-through service. The event will be held in the municipal parking lot at 1 William Welch Way from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Curbside Brush Collection: DPW crews are collecting brush this week on your regular trash day. What will be collected? Wood waste from bushes and trees, including sticks, twigs, branches, and shrubs. No stumps or logs are permitted.
Brush: pieces cannot exceed 4 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length. Bundle and tie with string or twine (no wire), or place in a reusable container marked "yard waste." Any brush in a plastic bag will not be collected.
The Civic Week Ahead
Monday, October 21
Tuesday, October 22
Wednesday, October 23
Thursday, October 24
In Closing…
I realize I am using a lot of ink writing about the MBTA Communities Act. In my mind, this is the biggest issue facing Framingham right now. This isn’t simply about zoning overlay districts. It is about our future and who we want to be as a community. We must look at Framingham as a community of neighborhoods and villages. Each with their own needs and characteristics. If we don’t, as one speaker said at the Planning Board hearing, we’ll become a generic city. And that I don’t find acceptable.
Please have your voice heard in this process. Next Monday we’ll look at how surrounding communities dealt with this issue.
See you next week,
Mary Kate
With the decrease from 30 acres to 15, what impact does that have on other neighborhoods? I am all in favor of more housing in Framingham - there is a housing crisis across this country that needs to be addressed. But keeping the neighborhood/village feel in some areas of the city and stacking housing in others means that some neighborhood get to keep their small town/city feel, while others have the impact of more people and less services. I live on the southside - it takes me FOREVER to get anywhere in Framingham because I either have to take Route 9 through or take circuitous routes to avoid it. There is no neighborhood school in my area, except Harmony Grove. No middle school. Kids in my neighborhood sit on buses for longer than they should to get to schools. Plus we have a healthcare center that's under investigation for lack of proper staffing. We need more housing, but we also need infrastructure to support that housing. Letting part of Framingham stay in its current patterns means the rest of Framingham takes on that burden. I don't know what the answer is but catering to the people who don't want change isn't it.
Roads too small.
It takes 25 - 30 minues to get accross rt 9 alone. from south to north
Rt 9 - bumber to bumper at 2 pm
It will get much worse.T
oo bad.