Mayor Proposes Zoning Reforms to Spur Housing Development

NEW BEDFORD – Mayor Jon Mitchell is proposing a series of zoning reforms aimed at making it easier to build housing throughout the City.

The proposals seek to fast-track the approval of new developments, modernize the use table for various projects, and establish a transit-centric district around the new North End train station that encourages multifamily and mixed-use development in large vacant and underutilized lots.

They were developed by New Bedford’s Department of City Planning and Solicitor’s Office over the last year. Each of the proposals are based on recommendations in the Mitchell Administration’s housing plan, Building New Bedford, which sets forth a series of measures to facilitate the production of new housing.

“Housing remains hard to come by, here and elsewhere,” Mayor Mitchell said. “As our housing plan explains, these zoning reforms will make it easier for developers to offer more housing options to New Bedford residents.”

“The proposed ordinance amendments address the evolving needs and priorities of a modern city, demonstrating the City’s responsiveness to public input and its commitment to enhancing the development landscape,” said Jennifer Carloni, director of the Department of City Planning.

Kings Highway Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District

The first proposal would create the Kings Highway Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay District, which would allow new uses for large, underutilized properties such as the Fieldstone Plaza (formerly Newport Creamery, Shaw’s and Flagship Cinemas), Belleville Warehouse on King Street, Chamberlain Mill on King Street, and the former Payne Cutlery on Church Street and Coffin Avenue.

The proposed district includes most of the area between Mount Pleasant Street and Church Street, from Nash Road north to Tarkiln Hill Road. Some of the industrial areas south of Nash Road are included, as is an area north of Kings Highway behind Stop & Shop. The district does not include any residential areas on the west side of Mount Pleasant Street or the east side of Church Street.

TOD districts are a common zoning tool to facilitate development near public transit. New uses encouraged for the district include multifamily housing construction, restaurants, coffee shops, office space, and light industrial applications.

“The Kings Highway corridor has been underutilized for too long,” Mayor Mitchell said. “Establishing a TOD district around the new North End station can unlock options for commercial and residential development.”

Included with the zoning proposal are design standards to ensure that new development considers neighborhood context, occurs at a reasonable scale, and incorporates sustainability.

Creating an Administrative Site Plan Review Procedure

Most development projects in the City are subject to a site plan review, which is a process to ensure it meets certain design guidelines, zoning rules, and other criteria for public safety and neighborhood character. These reviews vary depending on the complexities of the project. The creation of a new tier of site plan review would apply to smaller developments, removing the need for Planning Board approval for new industrial and commercial construction or expansions less than 5,000 square feet, multifamily housing with 4-6 units, or ground signs.

City staff would conduct the Administrative Site Plan reviews on a rolling basis, making it easier and faster for these projects to move forward, while the Planning Board would be reserved for multifaceted projects, which typically require more in-depth analysis and review.

Additionally, the updates to the Site Plan Review ordinance make the construction of a typical triple-decker a by-right use, meaning that it no longer requires site plan review in any form and could be constructed with the issuance of a building permit as long as the plan meets dimensional and parking requirements.

Modernizing the Zoning Table of Uses

The table of uses regulates the types of businesses, developments or residential density allowed in different zoning districts. The proposed new zoning table would add dozens of contemporary uses previously absent, including breweries, townhouses, biotech manufacturing, neighborhood cafe, maritime trade and others. These clearly defined uses add certainty for developers and encourage long-term investment and economic growth. The proposal would also create performance and design standards to encourage compatible development and eliminate potential negative impacts to adjacent properties.