Ongoing meetings with Lancaster’s Economic Development Committee & Affordable Housing Trust have guided a fresh & exciting collaborative vision for a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use environment with amenities for everyone: diverse residents of all ages & income, retail customers & soccer families, logistics employees & existing Lancastrians alike. The goal of these meetings is to maximize new benefits to Lancaster while ensuring impacts are properly mitigated.
We are working together for the best alternative solution to a development allowed by current zoning & shared in preliminary form: a large 40B ownership residential community in the rear of the site near the White Pond neighborhood, plus 1.5 million SF of logistics use, which would generate significantly less municipal tax revenue & allow less input from the Town. We are excited to share this alternative vision that has emerged through working together.
The 40R Smart Growth Zoning Overlay District (codified as MA General Law Chapter 40R) is slightly different. 40R encourages towns to apply to the Commonwealth to create mixed-use, smart growth zoning districts with affordable housing & become eligible for Chapter 40R & potentially 40S payments, as well as other financial incentives (see below).
Therefore, this vision depends on the approval of two articles to rezone a portion of the property as well as establish a connected 40R District. Both articles will be voted on by Lancaster residents at a Speical Town Meeting November 14th, 2022.
NEW: Modified to 40R at the request of Lancaster’s Affordable Housing Trust, versus 40B, in order to better position the Town of Lancaster financially & allow greater local input.
NEW: 40R residents & existing Lancaster residents will benefit from enhanced environmental benefits.
Retail & commercial space (34,000 SF in the 40R portion alone) integrated into the 40R Smart Growth District will create new amenities in a vibrant place to gather.
Creates hundreds of jobs for the region & promotes economic development from employees who will consume goods & services locally.