A proposed zoning amendment to create a new zoning overlay district called the West Chelsea Mixed-Use Overlay District was moved forward to the planning board for a recommendation at last week’s city council meeting.
However, there were some questions raised about the name of the new overlay district by several councilors as well as members of the Chelsea Black Community during the public speaking portion of last week’s council meeting.
“This overlay district will cover roughly the area bounded by the Chelsea-Everett border, Second Street, and the Route 1 Memorial Highway,” stated City Manager Fidel Maltez. “This amendment presents an exciting opportunity to unlock the potential of this area and transform it into a vibrant, walkable, mixed-use destination for current and future residents.”
Maltez said that as the city concludes its master planning effort, a central finding is the need for new growth, both to increase tax revenue and address local and regional housing needs.
“Strategic growth is essential to strengthening the City’s fiscal position in an uncertain economic climate while responding to our pressing housing needs,” Maltez stated. “The Master Plan specifically identifies ‘West Chelsea’ as an area well suited for transformation due to the underutilization of existing parcels and the area’s access to transit. This effort builds upon prior planning initiatives, such as the West Chelsea Economic Development Study and Urban Renewal Plan, which collectively articulate a long-standing vision for transit-oriented development, multi-family housing, and expanded employment opportunities.”
To advance the vision, Maltez stated that the proposed ordinance establishes a flexible and predictable framework for dense mixed-use development. It also emphasizes an urban form that supports an engaging pedestrian experience, encourages active ground-floor uses, enhances walkability, and establishes a distinct sense of place for West Chelsea, he added.
“A key component of this ordinance is establishing Everett Avenue (along with portions of Spruce Street and Arlington Street) as a ‘primary pedestrian street,’ intended to transform Everett Avenue into a strong, connective corridor linking Chelsea’s Commuter Rail station with the City Center,” Maltez stated.
All developments will be required to provide usable open space, with larger developments required to provide publicly accessible open space. An inclusionary zoning requirement will ensure a portion of housing units will be affordable, according to Maltez.
“In recognition of the area’s transit access, the ordinance will eliminate minimum parking requirements and instead implement a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program,” he stated. “An additional site and design standards will require buildings to be oriented close to the sidewalk, incorporate transparent facades with frequent entrances, and utilize a varied building massing so that larger structures read as multiple buildings rather than a single monolithic form.”
During the public speaking portion of last week’s meeting, Stacey Smith of Grove Street raised questions about the overlay district being referred to as West Chelsea.
“Using the term West End Chelsea, I don’t really know where this comes from,” she said. “We are a two-mile city, and to my knowledge, for generations back in my own family, that was known as the ghetto, so to now call it back and to see these developments that are coming to our community, it is great that we are moving forward in a more positive way.”
But she said, she was afraid the city was forgetting about commitments to the area for development that were made generations ago before the fire of 1973, as well as the commitments to rebuild Black churches after the fire.
“I hope that you guys pay close attention to things like this and you are on the right side of history when we continue to move forward and make changes, because some of us feel like we have been left behind and oppressed, and that’s not a good feeling, especially when you read things like this tonight,” Smith said.
District 8 Councilor Calvin T. Brown asked if Maltez could give some more background on the name of the overlay district.
“I think that this was a miscalculation on our part,” said Maltez of the naming of the overlay district. “We have been talking about a rezoning of the Mystic Mall, essentially for a long time, probably for about a year. We should have probably just called it that, the Mystic Mall.
“We were trying to be creative and it was a well-intentioned idea of making a new area that sounded good and was going to be more easily marketed, if you will, but it was something that was made by our consultants without any deep analysis of the history of the area.”
Maltez said the city is not tied to the name for the overlay district.
“It really doesn’t matter what we call this area, and this is going to be a very technical document, it is a zoning amendment, it is not going to be used for any educational aspects at all,” said Maltez. “But we recognize that we were not as diligent as we could have been.”
District 1 Councilor Todd Taylor noted that Maltez referred to the district as being identified in the master plan.
“Let’s make this clear, there is no master plan at the moment, we have not adopted a master plan,” said Taylor. “So while the planning committee, which I’m a part of, is going through these things and has identified certain things, this is still not an official document, we have not endorsed that plan, this is a little premature.”
Taylor said he didn’t have any personal objections to West Chelsea as a rebranding effort.
“I do, however, think it is always great to tap into the public and get their feedback on certain things, because there may be some sort of better idea that is tied to historical (ideas),” said Taylor.
District 4 Councilor Tanairi Garcia said there should be some integration of the history of the city into the district.
“I feel like having something related to Mystic will identify our people that have been here and have not been displaced because of high rising costs and will also be welcoming to those who are coming to Chelsea,” said Garcia. “Maybe we can have pictures and demonstrate the history of Chelsea, how it was before.”