After months of debate with a Dec. 31 deadline looming, the City Council voted Tuesday 7-0 — with two councilors recusing themselves — for zoning to bring Gloucester in compliance with state MBTA Communities Act guidelines for multifamily housing zoned near public transit.
Councilors agreed passage of the Multi-family Overlay District was the right thing to do, because it fit with the city’s character and met past housing production plans. They said the zoning would preserve the city’s eligibility for certain state grants and help people find a place to live and work in a place that has become unaffordable.
Councilors said the move, based on allowing three-family homes by right in certain Downtown Station and West Gloucester Station areas, along with a couple of pockets of denser development on Maplewood Avenue and School House Road, may not create much housing or even affordable housing, but it’s a step in the right direction.
While the zoning’s passage was applauded when the hour-long meeting wrapped, about 10 residents stood in the back of the Kyrouz Auditorium holding signs that read: “Gloucester Says No to 3A,” with 3A referring to this particular section of state law. Another resident held a sign sitting in the audience among others opposed to the zoning changes. Those in favor of the zoning changes, including members of Housing 4 All Gloucester, were also present. In all, the meeting drew more than 40 residents to City Hall.
“What it does do is it provides one more piece of a very complicated process of dealing with the issue of housing affordability in the city which I believe to be the most existential crisis that we face,” said at-Large Councilor Jason Grow, who chairs the council’s Planning and Development Standing Committee which worked on the zoning changes.
“If we don’t find a way to create more housing that is more affordable to younger families, seniors aging in place and people who otherwise would not be able to afford million-dollar homes, this community as we know it will gradually die,” Grow said.
Council Vice President Sean Nolan of Ward 5 said if it were 10 years ago, he would be at the back of the auditorium holding a sign against the 3A zoning proposal, but after almost nine years on the council and dealing with constituents’ needs, he said councilors have a responsibility to follow state law.
“Some people may say we are not listening to the majority, but there are an awful lot of people who do support this,” said Nolan, who lauded his former council colleague Tracy O’Neil for doing a “great job” of letting her opposition to the zoning changes be known.
O’Neil declined comment after the meeting.
“I think we all know we have a housing stock shortage in our city, not only for affordable housing but housing for seniors, housing for workforce, housing for families. Our high-tech companies are struggling finding places for people to live,” Councilor at-Large Val Gilman said.
Ward 1 Councilor Scott Memhard said the zoning changes “have been thoughtfully and carefully tailored to fit Gloucester.”
City Council President Tony Gross said when the zoning was first proposed by the state, he was “rather displeased.” He believed it was inappropriate for cities such as Gloucester.
“My mind was changed,” Gross said, “because we were able to tailor this to have the greatest benefit to Gloucester with the least amount of change.”
Ward 2 Councilor Dylan Benson, who represents much of the downtown where residents are concerned about more density from the new zoning, said he was feeling under-the weather as he took part in the meeting on Zoom. He said he would be releasing a statement in the coming days as he supported the zoning changes.
Recusals
The meeting started with two councilors who live within the so-called Downtown Station Area subdistrict reading statements before leaving the auditorium without taking part in the vote.
Councilor-at-Large Jeff Worthley spoke about owning a single-family home for 22 years in one of the zoning districts being contemplated.
“I’ve been advised by the state Ethics Commission that my participation in this vote or even being in the room other than to read this statement puts me in a conflict of interest,” Worthley said.
Worthley said any suggestion he was dodging the vote was wrong.
“I have exhausted every possible exemption the conflict of interest rules provide,” he said.
Ward 3 Councilor Marjorie Grace also said after lengthy discussion with the Ethics Commission “it is with great regret that I must recuse myself from the 40A, 3A zoning vote that will take place this evening.”
She said a question was raised that prompted her call to the Ethics Commission. She was advised to recuse herself to avoid any conflict of interest “and I am morally and ethically obligated to follow the laws of the commonwealth.”
Grace said state law required the impact of her vote “must affect more than 10% of homeowners to avoid any legal, ethical or monetary conflicts … and this threshold has not been met.”
She asked her constituents to respect her decision.
“I will leave here tonight knowing that I have done the right thing by being honest, following the letter of the law and with my integrity intact.”
The city still must submit its 3A zoning ordinance to the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for its approval with a deadline to comply the end of the year.