The analyses by the Office of Planning and Building(OPB) are very different from the figures published in this newsletter, and there is far more information available about the Project than can fit in the BCF’s print Newsletter. In the interest of fairness, we are providing links to analyses by the Office of Planning and Building and the Warrant Committee and alternative viewpoints on this proposal.
The town’s Belmont Center Zoning Project Site
The Warrant Committee’s Belmont Center Overlay Fiscal Impact Analysis, which found that ”the overall fiscal impact of developments built under the proposed Belmont Center Overlay District is likely to be positive”
Supplementary material
What the Select Board Said on the Overlay — a summary of the Select Board’s responses to project criticisms as stated at their January 26 meeting.
Developer Perspectives: Condensed and Edited Transcript — a summary of Chris Ryan’s developer focus group
Belmont Center Landlord Perspectives
Links for more information on Belmont Center Rezoning
Analysis and commentary on the Belmont Center overlay project was still forthcoming up to our print deadline. The annotated links below, sorted by the office or committee that created them, will help interested readers tap into this information.
The Belmont Center Zoning Overlay Project Page
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/2005/Belmont-Center-Zoning-Project
Belmont Office of Planning and Building
For the most comprehensive set of links to town reports, consultant reports, and meetings concerning all aspects of the two Belmont Center Overlays:
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/1537/MBTA-Communities-Zoning-Project
For links to the fiscal impact analysis conducted by the town and its consultants:
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/2178/Buildout-and-Fiscal-Impact-Analysis
(also see the link to the Warrant Committee report below)
Parking and traffic studies:
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/2289/Parking-and-Traffic-Studies
For the full text of the two proposed bylaws that Town Meeting will be voting on, plus a “Hotel Regulations” supplement to the Center Gateway Overlay District:
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/2292/Final-Proposed-BCOD-CGOD-Zoning-Bylaws
For the most recent slide presentation on the two overlay districts:
Select Board
At their January 26, 2026, meeting, the Select Board discussed the Belmont Center zoning articles and responded to some of the prevalent criticisms: (Belmont Center discussion starts at 2:40:30):
https://belmontmedia.org/watch/select-board-town-belmont
Planning Board
The Planning Board’s Belmont Center Zoning webpage with links to relevant reports (different from the Office of Planning and Building’s page):
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/2005/Belmont-Center-Zoning-Project
The Planning Board produced two-page summaries of the two proposed overlay districts on February 3, 2026:
Belmont Center Overlay District: https://www.belmont-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13148/BC-Zoning-Overlay-One-Pager-FINAL
Center Gateway Overlay District: https://www.belmont-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13147/Gateway-Zoning-Overlay-One-Pager-FINAL
Planning Board replies to frequently asked questions (January 29, 2026):
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13101/FAQ-1-29-2026
Links to Planning Board agendas, meeting minutes, and videos of meetings:
2025 meetings: https://www.belmont-ma.gov/AgendaCenter/Planning-Board-3
2026:
Warrant Committee
On January 28, 2026, the Warrant Committee issued a Fiscal Impact Analysis of the Belmont Center Overlay district:
Town Meeting documents
Webpage for March 4, 2026, Special Town Meeting including articles, motions, amendments, and the reports of the Planning Board and the Warrant Committee:
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/2302/March-4th-2026-Special-Town-Meeting
One reason for separating the Center Gateway Overlay from the Belmont Center Overlay was the expectation that the latter can be passed with a majority vote while the former, which does not require residential use, would require a 2/3 vote, as explained in this article in the Belmont Voice:
Town Meeting Member Robert McGraw has challenged that interpretation of the voting requirements; however, Moderator Michael Crowley has responded that, based on advice of Town Counsel, the Belmont Center Overlay District (Article 2) will require a majority vote.
Relevant history:MBTA Communities Act rezoning
The MBTA Communities Act rezoning passed by Town Meeting in November 2024 (Belmont Multifamily Overlay Zoning) includes part of Belmont Center, and therefore informs debate on the 2026 rezoning articles.
A map of the 2024 zoning:
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2277/District-Map-1-PDF
The full text of new bylaw, Section 9 of Belmont’s bylaws:
https://www.belmont-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6519/3A-Section-9–Final?bidId=
Other historical documents that inform the debate on Belmont Center rezoning
The 2008 study, “A Planning Vision for Belmont Center,” prepared by the Select Board-appointed Belmont Center Planning Group, in ways presages the current rezoning articles:
2017 Metropolitan Area Planning Council study on housing and school population: “The Waning Influence Of Housing Production On Public School Enrollment,” cited by Select Board Chair Matt Taylor:
https://www.mapc.org/learn/research-analysis/enrollment-2017/
2024 update to 2017 MAPC study: “An Update on Housing Production’s Affect on Public School Enrollment”:
https://www.mapc.org/learn/research-analysis/enrollment/
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