About four hours into the September 15 City Council meeting, with only a developer and a handful of others left in attendance, Councilors revoted and approved a zoning motion that failed about two hours earlier that night. The vote change was to allow purpose-built student housing by right in a portion of the Hillside neighborhood, which was opposed by some residents and a serious discussion during public comment.
Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced that she will veto the amendment, citing the lack of public participation after 11 p.m. and the way the revote occurred.
Earlier in the meeting, when residents, neighbors and City planning staff were in attendance, the Council rejected Councilor Leming’s amendment to allow purpose-built student housing by right, 4-3, and initially approved the zoning with the special permit requirement in place. The draft discussed at the June 24 joint City Council and Community Development Board meeting listed the use as requiring a Community Development Board special permit, which the Community Development Board later recommended.
At about 11 p.m., with only a few people left in attendance, including the developer interested in building in this area of the Hillside, Councilor Tseng, who had previously voted against the amendment, made a motion to reconsider the change to by right from requiring a special permit. It was seconded and passed 4-3.
“This revote took place four hours into the meeting after zoning staff and neighbors left with virtually no one from the public in attendance other than an affected developer” Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn said. “If the council wanted to take a matter back up, they should have done so when all interested parties were in attendance and not just the developer. This undermines how the process should take place, prior public comment from neighbors and the work that is being done by the Community Development Board, our staff and consultants to thoughtfully implement community-driven zoning changes. A change to by right needs to be more thoughtfully discussed under the shine of community involvement. It is for these reasons that I am vetoing the amendment.”
The portion of the Hillside that would allow by right purpose-built student housing—meaning no special permit is required to build student housing—includes the Whole Foods parcel along Auburn Street and 200 Boston Ave down to North Street.
The City Council can override the Mayor’s veto by a supermajority vote of 5 or more. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29 at 7 p.m.