By Vincent Stanton, Jr.
The Newsletter contacted four Belmont Center landlords with questions about their perspective on the proposed rezoning measures, and whether and how the new zoning, if adopted by Town Meeting, might influence their plans. Scott Tellier, principal at Tellier Properties which owns 31-43 Leonard Street in Belmont Center (Irresistables, Santander Bank, Brueggers Bagels, Union Pharmacy), as well as 375 and 385 Concord Avenue in the proposed Center Gateway Overlay, and Kevin Foley, principal at Locatelli Properties which owns 49-89 Leonard Street, the largest parcel in Belmont Center (Butternut Bakehouse, Champions, Lagree Lab, Brooksy’s, Revolve, Westcott Mercantile, Patou Thai, Toy Shop of Belmont, The Wellington, Didriks, Belmont Books, CVS) provided written responses.
Overall perspective on the proposed rezoning measures:
Tellier: “I am very much for the zoning overlays. Growth and rejuvenation are imperative for Belmont to continue to be a vibrant community. In rezoning, it is always difficult to balance the needs of the community vs. those of owners/developers, but the overlays are a good start in trying to catch up to where Belmont should be. Owners and developers are knowledgeable as to how to achieve those goals, but up until now, zoning has stifled the growth that should have started long ago. Many prospective restaurants and other tenants fled at the possibility of having to apply for a special permit with potentially 6 to 8 months and multiple meetings for a decision by the Planning Board to allow even minor deviations from the zoning code. The code should not be that rigid and the building inspector should be able to make some of those decisions. The overlays, in creating more by-right uses, are a step toward resolving these issues.”
Regarding both overlays: “Owners and developers know the breaking point of how much and what size. They usually can determine what is needed. They will not overbuild to hurt themselves. Most builders and developers are very conscientious.”
On the proposed Belmont Center Overlay District:
Tellier: “Belmont Center needs rejuvenation. It needs to rise to the standards of 2026. Some zoning laws have been in place for decades. They do not support the owners of the properties who in turn cannot entice the best businesses. The requirements to start a restaurant in Belmont have been way too restrictive in regards to size, service, parking, seating, etc. The overlay would provide better zoning to attract more restaurants, and the zoning will increase the population size that would support those businesses, which would help resolve this issue.”
“Four stories in Belmont Center is probably too much (at least for now; with the way the world is changing that may be what is needed in the future), but for now 3-1⁄2 seems reasonable on the east side of the street and 2-1⁄2 on the west side. That keeps a small-town feel but adds to the population support that is terribly needed. Increasing population in any town will stimulate local businesses.”
“Parking is very important and needs to be addressed. Much of the parking has been taken away over the years on Leonard Street and the adjacent streets by restrictive parking regulations. The regulations need to be more lenient in the surrounding neighborhoods.”
On the Center Gateway Overlay District (CGOD) and the prospect for a hotel on Concord Avenue:
Tellier: “I don’t believe that a hotel is a great idea. Belmont is a small town that is not a destination and does not have a college. Rather, I believe a hotel should be one allowable use among many in the CGOD, with office, retail, and residential/mixed use also permitted to provide developers the flexibility to meet market demand. Elderly housing and affordable housing are two sectors that desperately need to be addressed in the present market and therefore should not be excluded from the CGOD. Five stories is a reasonable height.”
Final thoughts:
Tellier: “Can the overlays completely solve Belmont’s current financial situation? No. But the overlays, combined with some serious budget cutting, can help the town attain financial stability. With good planning and proper guidelines, I believe Belmont can be as strong as any of the other nearby prospering towns.”
Kevin Foley, Locatelli Properties
Kevin Foley provided the following statement, focusing on his concerns about parking:
“As the Town aims to present Town Meeting with a proposed rezoning plan for Belmont Center, it is critical for Town officials to consider and remember the following issues:
- The Select Board has repeatedly tried to reassure the Belmont Center business community that the town will address current and future parking needs in advance of, or at least in conjunction with, the plans to rezone the Center. However, the process to create a new parking management plan designed to address the parking that could be generated by development allowed as a result of the proposed Belmont Center rezoning will not even have been started by the date of the Special Town Meeting in March. If adopted as proposed, the new zoning will become effective in November, 2026 even if a new parking management plan is never created.
- As the largest landlord in the Center we are very concerned that since the promised parking plan will not be put in place in advance of the rezoning vote, and since the Town Meeting vote to approve the rezoning plan as proposed is not conditioned on the creation of that plan, then there would not be an incentive for the Select Board to address short and long term parking within the Center after the adoption of the zoning. The last attempt to produce a revised parking plan in 2011 was a failure. No plan was produced. Without such a parking management place in advance of the rezoning vote, the town would be continuing an unfortunate trend of saying to the business community, “Trust our words, but don’t look at our actions.”
- As a reminder, the town was originally planning to take the municipal lot on Claflin Street for a large fire station. After hearing the firestorm of reaction from the Center business community, the town decided to take and use the municipal lot on Alexander Street for a smaller fire station. The town’s decision amounted to a loss of approximately 45 public parking spaces.
- To help counteract the loss of so many parking spaces in the Center, Locatelli entered into an agreement with the town (Memorandum of Understanding, or “MOU”) allowing a 25-year license with the town that immediately created a row of parking, containing approximately 26 spaces. In addition, because Locatelli allowed the town to combine its municipal lot with the Locatelli land, the combined, more efficient layout provided another 20 spaces. So, in total Locatelli added, or was instrumental in adding 46 parking spaces to the Center for the use of the Belmont Center business community. Also, Locatelli contributed $80,000 towards the new parking design and build out of the combined new parking lot.
- The added parking helped Locatelli, but it also helped the other landlords, stores, employees, and customers. And it helped the town preserve its tax base by maintaining parking and maintaining a healthy business environment.
Now compare Locatelli’s efforts to maintain and add parking in the Center with what the town has done. Over the past 20 years, the town, through successive Select Boards, has eliminated approximately 1000 parking spaces in the streets around the Center that could previously have been used for employee parking. Employees are now parking where customers should park, so on busy days, the town is forcing customers to circle around or try to park on the outer edges of the Center. Many customers give up and leave, and often these customers choose not to shop in the Center again. The net result is that the town has reduced the capacity for Center businesses to grow and increase their business volume particularly during busy days.
Before implementing a new rezoning plan that would exacerbate parking problems in the Center, the town needs to renew the MOU as part of a long-term parking plan for the Center, and the town needs to insert language in the rezoning vote at town meeting that will give written promises to the business community that ensures a parking management plan will be in place before any changes to the current zoning plan take place. The failure of the town to complete a parking plan in 2011 after extensive meetings will be remembered and will not help getting the new zoning approved based on an empty promise to produce a new parking management plan before November 2026. That promise must be stated in writing so that the business community can trust town officials and know that any future zoning plan is supported by adequate parking.”
Vincent Stanton, Jr., is a BCF director and Precinct 3 Town Meeting member.
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