Though there may be some disagreement over the potential for affordable housing on some of the property, the Marion Planning Board continues to move forward with the plan to rezone a portion of Spring Street.

At the annual Town Meeting in May, residents voted to deny rezoning several plots on Spring Street from general business/limited industrial to residential. The rezoning was to precede an official permit request to build a condominium complex.

That agenda item was submitted by the owner of the property Sherman Briggs. Now, the Planning Board is trying to get it done themselves. In November, the Board of Selectmen agreed to put the rezone on the May 2018 agenda.

To continue garnering support for the project, the Planning Board hosted members of other town departments to hear ideas and concerns about the rezone.

Building Commissioner Scott Shippey expressed some concern about the utilities for the homes that would go on the property.

“The access to utilities is going to be a huge issue,” he said. “There’s a moratorium on the [waste water treatment] plant right now. People have been on a waiting list for a long time. That’s something to think about.”

However, Selectman Steve Gonsalves didn’t seem to think it would be a big problem.

“I think the shelf life has expired on the moratorium,” he said. “We need to look into that. We should be able to take care of the people on the list and then take care of more people.”

Town Planner Gil Hilario pointed out that the town had just reached an agreement on its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, so more answers about the waste water treatment plant capacity would be answered in coming weeks.

The biggest point of contention was about affordable housing.

Members of the Affordable Housing Trust expressed hope that the development that would be built could provide affordable housing options.

“Our mission is to meet some affordable housing needs, and we would do that with this project,” Ruth Olson said. “We’d get a few units along the line and that’s our goal.”

However, Briggs isn’t interested in affordable housing.

“I’m not putting affordable components in that project,” he said. “It’s not going to happen. I think it’ll destroy it. As long as I’m walking and talking, it’s not going to happen.”

Planning Board Chair Eileen Marum pointed out that the town has a inclusionary housing bylaw that requires new subdivisions or multi-family developments of six units or more to contain 10 percent of units affordable for homeownership, whether built on-site or off-site.

Briggs was still undeterred.

“I’m not doing it,” he said. “That bylaw doesn’t work. All it does is drive people out.”

Marum said that one of the reasons for having meetings like the one Monday night was to find ways to solve problems like affordable housing.

“I don’t think we can dictate to you how to have it taken care of,” she said. “The Planning Board is very supportive to get this rezoned, but you need to decide what option you want.”

Briggs’ other option is paying a $200,000 fee per required affordable unit in lieu of building the units. Or, he could do some combination of building units on- or off-site and paying the fee.