Team Member: Lily Kramer

We work with clients to gain a deep understanding of their challenges, needs, and opportunities and help them be strong, just, and sustainable communities. When a client engages us for additional projects, it signifies a successful partnership and indicates mutual respect. We are proud of our work with the City of Chelsea on three recent projects, all of which exemplify our commitment to them and our ability to deliver tailored solutions.

MBTA Community Zoning
Chelsea is one of 177 communities that must comply with the MBTA Communities Law, which was enacted in 2021 and implemented gradually under guidelines issued by a state agency. The law requires these communities to adopt permissive zoning for multi-family housing near train stations, city centers, or other appropriate locations. The point is to create more housing close to public transit and in walkable neighborhoods.

Working with Chelsea city staff, our team wrote the zoning ordinance to comply with MBTA Communities guidelines. We used Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping work and parcel-by-parcel analysis to ensure the new zoning would meet density and feasibility requirements. Chelsea’s city council adopted the zoning in December 2023, thereby meeting the deadline for “rapid transit” communities. The state has approved the zoning and determined that Chelsea complies with the new law. 

Urban Renewal Plan

Working under an agreement with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP)’s Complete Neighborhoods Program, our firm is working with Chelsea to amend its decades-old Urban Renewal Plan (URP) for West Chelsea. The original plan, written in 1998, no longer reflects the City’s needs, particularly since the arrival of transit service from the Silver and Commuter Lines. We have worked closely with City leaders to craft an amended URP to support residential and mixed-use revitalization near transit while also aligning with the MBTA Communities Law. 

Strategic Housing Plan

Located just across the Mystic River from Boston, Chelsea is easily accessible to Boston. It became even more accessible once Silver Line and Commuter Rail service opened in West Chelsea in the past few years. That accessibility has catapulted Chelsea’s appeal and opened the City to new market-rate housing development. Recognizing the risk of economic displacement for Chelsea’s low-income residents, City leaders asked us to update their strategic housing plan (which Judi Barrett led in 2016-2017 while employed at another firm). Among other priorities, the Housing & Community Development Department hopes to focus on ways to preserve “naturally occurring affordable housing” (NOAH) and opportunities to create new affordable housing as well.

We are proud of our ongoing partnership with the City of Chelsea to address their community planning needs and create a more resilient housing strategy for future decades.