Moving a special town meeting closer to reality, the Planning Board held public hearings on three proposed zoning articles and voted to draft a fourth during a busy session.
Housing for the Elderly and Zoning Amendments
On behalf of the Norwood Housing Authority, the board conducted hearings on two interconnected measures designed to pave the way for 104 additional units of subsidized housing for the elderly:
- Special Multi-Family Zone: Creating a restricted multi-family zone applicable solely to state-subsidized elderly housing, which would mandate one parking space per three dwelling units and lower area requirements (recognizing that only one in three elderly residents owns a car).
- Parcel Rezoning: Rezoning two small lots to multi-family use to annex them to existing authority land.
Housing Authority Executive Director Lawrence J. O’Brien and counsel John J. Mulvehill reported that the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) gave tentative approval for the $2 million project designed by architect William Nelson Jacobs Associates of Boston. Mulvehill noted that land scarcity near shopping, churches, and transportation necessitated taking small parcels by eminent domain, totaling around 15,000 square feet.
While East Cross Street resident Richard Flaherty and appeals board member Emilie Moses voiced concerns over granting “carte blanche” or creating high-density “elderly ghettoes,” board members took the proposals under advisement.
Building Inspector Grover Pushes Trailer Ban Bylaw
Building Inspector John E. Grover appeared before the board to press for adoption of a stringent zoning bylaw banning the use of trailers in town for storage or living quarters. Grover stressed that the bylaw is urgently needed for the “prevention of fire, preservation of life and morals,” noting that commercial firms store goods in tax-free trailers. Furthermore, Grover warned that the town will automatically adopt the state building code on January 1st, making it vital to codify local trailer restrictions beforehand.
Under the proposed bylaw, recreational trailers and business storage trailers would be prohibited, restricting trailer parking to enclosed garages on the rear half of residential lots. The board also took under advisement a plan by builder Robert L. Rizzo to construct 14 duplex houses on a proposed road off Dean Street in the Richland Road area, despite objections from 11 neighboring residents.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
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Norwood Appeals Board Grants Special Permit for 18-Hole Golf Course Off Route 1-August 8, 1973
The Norwood Board of Appeals approved a special permit for developer Frank R. Simoni to construct a 97-acre, 18-hole golf course off Route 1 near Access Road and the Norwood Airport.
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Norwood Planning Board Debates Controversial Condominium Rezoning-July 17, 1973
Residents and local officials clashed over the Valleyview Park project, citing concerns over traffic, infrastructure, and the need for high-density housing.
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Norwood Town Business and Planning Updates-July 8, 1971
At a meeting held on July 7, 1971, the Norwood Housing Authority received positive news regarding the proposed expansion of local housing for the elderly. Executive Director Lawrence J. O’Brien announced that the state Department of Community Affairs has officially approved plans for 30 additional units of housing to be constructed on Nahatan Street. These…
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Low-Income Housing Site Search Continues-June 21, 1971
While Pellana Road plans are dropped after resident protests, the town advances an 80-unit Nahatan Street senior complex.
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Comprehensive Route 1 Zoning Overhaul Proposed Following Impact Study-June 11, 1971
Massive commercial shifts are coming to Route 1. The Planning Board prepares to unveil a sweeping zoning plan designed to regulate growth near the new stadium.
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Two Public Housing Complexes Planned to Meet Growing Local Need-May 29, 1970
In 1970, the Norwood Housing Authority advanced two major projects—80 elderly units on Nahatan Street and 20 family units at a new site—while state bond delays and zoning changes shaped the timeline.
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Norwood Voters To Consider Lighting Funds-June 26, 1968
The Finance Commission backs the utility expansion alongside a $163,000 sewer construction article, while the town master plan is deferred.
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Norwood Planners To Postpone Article On Master Plan-June 25, 1968
Planners vote unanimously to defy a Finance Commission veto, taking an eight-thousand-dollar intersection study request straight to town meeting.
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Planners Interpret Space Needs Of Proposed Apartment Complex-June 25, 1968
The zoning interpretation backs neighborhood abutters as Appeals Board Chairman James J. Drummey reviews demands to revoke the project’s permits.
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Dean Street Residents Protest Business Encroachment-July 11, 1967
Dean Street Residents Protest Zoning Change On July 11, 1967, tensions escalated on Dean Street as more than 20 local residents attended a Planning Board hearing to protest a proposed zoning change that they argued would further erode their residential neighborhood. ⠀ The petition was submitted by Alexander Rossi, a contractor living at 181 Dean…
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