William Downie Archives - Barrett Planning Group LLC

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.

In 2023, the Town of Plymouth, NH, hired Barrett to analyze its housing needs and assist with zoning reform to encourage housing development. Funding for the project came from New Hampshire’s Housing Opportunity Grant (HOP) Program, which provides grants to communities interested in updating their land use regulations to increase opportunities for housing production.

The Barrett team was engaged to focus on three core initiatives for Plymouth:

Housing needs assessment to review Plymouth’s housing stock, community demographics, economic trends, and other relevant data
Regulatory audit of land use regulations related to housing (zoning, site planning review, subdivision regulations)
Zoning amendments consistent with identified community values, housing needs, and regulatory barriers

Barrett’s research and audit revealed a complex set of issues, particularly in relation to zoning. Land use ordinances that had been modified over time were now inconsistent and unclear. In addition, the long-standing conservative approach to development led to stricter dimensional regulations, substantially limiting opportunities for housing diversity and choice. These gradual changes rendered many properties nonconforming, making even simple building projects (a deck addition, for example) a challenge for many residents.

Led by Judi Barrett, our team proposed significant tactical changes to the Town’s land use regulations – all within the context of a participatory community planning effort co-led by the Town’s Housing Committee. Through interactive public forums, smaller focus groups, surveys, and educational materials, we gained public input and educated the community about the purpose and intent of proposed regulatory amendments.

The town demonstrated a remarkable show of support for zoning reform. In March 2024, the Planning Board presented a substantial slate of regulatory amendments to the community, and Town Meeting voted to adopt all articles with broad support.

Among the accomplishments achieved, this package of zoning amendments:

Reduced the minimum lot size for single family homes, bringing many properties back into conformity with zoning and enabling greater density in future development
Created additional categories of housing within the zoning ordinance and reduced barriers to developing smaller multi-unit dwellings in select districts
Overhauled the open space residential development ordinance
Provided for the ability to place multiple dwellings on a single lot
Reduced permitting barriers for accessory dwelling units
Majorly reformed off-street parking requirements

This outstanding feat was made possible by the efforts of the Town’s Housing Committee and Planning Board, Planning Department staff, community, and all involved.

Team Member: William Downie

Chelsea, MA

Plymouth Housing and Zoning

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