The meeting commenced with the board’s unanimous approval of draft decisions concerning a special permit modification and a site plan modification for the property located on Southwester Street. The approval was contingent upon receiving necessary approvals from the Board of Health for the septic system and from the Water and Sewer Commission for a water line extension. Specific conditions were discussed, including the routing of construction traffic to avoid residential neighborhoods and the responsibilities of the homeowners association in maintaining emergency access and drainage systems.

Following this, the board approved site plan SPR5 and special permit SP9 for a property on South Washington Street, again noting the necessity of Water and Sewer approval for extending town water to the site. The approval included standard conditions related to post-occupancy and a waiver regarding the scale of the plan.

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the proposed MBTA overlay district introduced by Taylor Perez from SERED. The district aims to facilitate multifamily by-right developments with site plan approval, allowing mixed-use developments and duplexes, with a maximum density of 16 units per acre and a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet. Immediate coordination was deemed necessary to meet this deadline.

The proposed district boundaries included around 100 acres near the Mansfield line, adjacent to the Xfinity Center. A suggestion was made to exclude a southern parcel south of Arnold Palmer Boulevard due to its primarily wetland nature, which was supported by those present. There was also debate over including the New England Ice Cream facility within the district, which was ultimately retained for its future development potential.

The board deliberated on the district’s naming, considering “Mansfield Avenue” and “Great Woods Overlay District,” with the latter being preferred for its appeal. Discussions also touched on the legal language for the bylaw, emphasizing the need for clarity in terms such as “community space” and “commercial” to ensure alignment with the town’s master plan and housing goals.

Attention was given to the specific legal language and definitions within the proposed overlay. The board emphasized the importance of a definition section to clarify terms and consolidate related information for ease of understanding. Permitted uses under the district were debated, with discussions on allowing ground-floor commercial development alongside residential units, focusing on ensuring that community spaces were genuinely beneficial.

The board also considered various density bonuses, including those for developments incorporating affordable housing or top-of-the-shop configurations. The maximum height for developments with the highest density bonus could reach six stories, contingent on a certain percentage of affordable units. However, there was significant concern about public reception to such heights, leading to suggestions to cap the height at five stories to align with existing zoning precedents.

Parking requirements were another focal point, with discussions on adopting flexible approaches for commercial parking and revisiting off-street parking standards to better reflect community needs. The board considered specific proposals, such as one space per bedroom up to three for multifamily projects, and the inclusion of EV charging stations and bicycle parking.

The dialogue also included considerations for rooftop access in multi-story buildings, with concerns about potential conflicts with height restrictions. There was a proposal to allow rooftop access provided it did not exceed existing height limitations, though this prompted further debate about maintaining simplicity and compliance with current regulations.