The Task Force has considered all areas of Manchester-by-the-Sea. Several areas are no longer in consideration for different reasons, including some areas that appear to be a good fit.
One reason for excluding an area is that MBTA Zoning law does not make it easy to protect existing commercial and retail space. Under the law, the Town cannot require reserving the first floor of a building for retail use. The new zoning can permit retail use, with restrictions. The Task Force chose not to consider the downtown retail area because a walkable shopping area is an essential part of the character of Manchester.
Another reason for excluding an area is to protect the Town’s historic buildings, which are also an important part of the Town’s character. The Task Force tries to exclude areas with houses that are more than 100 years old. Within the half-mile circle around the train station, the decision to exclude historic houses eliminated Washington Street, North Street, lower School Street, Union Street, Central Street and much of the heavy trick-or-treat area.
Yet other reasons for excluding an area are the probability of flooding and the absence of Town sewer service. Both those counts excluded the Magnolia area. The Town sewer system serves only about a third of Manchester. The Task Force does not support building dense multi-family housing in an area that has private septic systems and is subject to flooding.
A less obvious reason for excluding an area is the potential for large apartment buildings or condos. The MBTA Zoning law requires that the new zones allow 15 units per acre. A 6,000-square-foot lot (about one-sixth of an acre) would be suitable for a three-family building under that density requirement. A 6,000-square-foot lot could hold a two-and-a-half-story house, a driveway, and parking for 5 cars. The General District and District D both have a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet. Area A has a minimum lot size of 22,500 square feet, so Area A could have apartment blocks with 8 units. The Task Force feels that a three-family, two-and-a-half-story house fits the character of Manchester better than an eight-unit apartment building.
In addition, the Task Force’s goals include staying as close as possible to current zoning regulations. Current zoning in the General District allows conversion of existing buildings to three-family dwellings by right, albeit with 5 onsite parking spaces required and only in existing buildings. District D1 allows two-family dwellings by right. District D2 allows two-family dwellings with a special permit from the ZBA. All other districts except the LCD allow only single-family dwellings. Since the General District and District D are closer to what MBTA Zoning prescribes, the Task Force has been looking at those areas to give the Town a fair chance for compliance with the least amount of change to its character and current zoning.
The Manchester MBTA Zoning District Task Force was created by the Select and Planning Boards to explore and prepare a recommended approach by the town to the State of Massachusetts’ mandate that all communities serviced by the public commuter rail line vote on whether to create “by right” multifamily zoning, a portion of which must be within a half mile of the MBTA Commuter Rail station. Manchester voters must vote by Town Meeting by the end of 2024. The Task Force will be taking on questions to answer in a regular feature in The Cricket to help readers navigate the details supporting its work.
