WELLESLEY, Mass. — On Oakland Street in Wellesley, what’s now just a sprawling student parking lot, for MassBay Community College, has been at the center of controversy.
The plan to build up to 180 apartments on the five-acre state-owned parcel is part of a broader push to unlock underused land for housing, something that has been a goal of the Healey administration after passing the Affordable Homes Act (AHA) back in 2024.
Commissioner for the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, Adam Baacke explains under AHA, developers and all communities automatically have the right to develop at a density of four units per acre.
“In this case, the idea is that if we take that 4 units per acre and we concentrate it, and we ask the developers to cluster it on the already developed parking lot. That’s actually an opportunity to achieve the housing goal,” Commissioner Baacke said.
MassBay’s president, Dr. David Podell said the proceeds from the proposed housing project would help fund new campus facilities including expansion and better student resources.
“My interest is the needs of our students and when you have, may I say, a win-win-win situation, where our students can get better resources, I’m all for it,” Dr. Podell said.
However, residents and conservation groups fear the project could pave the way for development beyond the lot, disrupting use of nearby Centennial Park. Though, officials have said land outside the parking lot won’t be touched, and within the proposal, they are suggesting that land be put into a conservation restriction to protect it from future development.
In a statement, President of the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust Michael Tobin explained they support dividing the parcel to protect the 40-acre forest but said, “...using the AHA as a regulatory sleight of hand to justify development affecting protected habitat would be dishonest, disastrous and unprecedented.”
The town’s select board stated, during a January hearing, they have attained legal representation to ensure local concerns are addressed before the project can move forward
“The board awaits the commonwealth’s responses in order to determine our next steps. The board is aware of and sensitive to a wide range of public opinion on this issue and is listening to all residents’ views and concerns,” Select Board Chair, Marjorie Feiman said.
If an agreement can be made between the town and state, a request for proposal (RFP) could go out this summer.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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