Westborough trustees push back on Post Road developer’s request to lower inclusionary housing requirement

The Westborough Affordable Housing Trust told representatives of a proposed Post Road development that the town’s inclusionary zoning bylaw should not be weakened to accommodate the project.

Trust members said a developer request to reduce the affordable component from 15% to 10% and to lower the buy‑down fee to $50,000 per unit would undercut the town’s intent and that the bylaw’s current formula yields a much higher buy‑down (roughly $185,000–$190,000 per unit when calculated at 70% AMI).

The argument came during a working‑group update at the Aug. 8 meeting. A member of the working group said the inclusionary bylaw was adopted by a 10–1 vote last October and represents a strong community directive. The working group said it will pursue further face‑to‑face meetings with the developer and explore alternatives — such as converting 5% of town‑required SHI units to moderate‑income units — that might preserve affordability goals while offering flexibility to the developer.

Trust members noted developer filings had suggested sharp increases in per‑unit costs that the trust’s financial analysis did not accept at face value; the working group said it found mathematical errors and ran the developer’s numbers through its own assumptions to test viability. Trustees also said state technical reviewers at DCAM indicated the town’s inclusionary bylaw was not unusually restrictive.

The trust emphasized its dual role: to help projects through permitting and to defend the town’s affordability goals. Trustees said the planning board and conservation commission should be asked for early feedback and that the trust will continue to work with planning staff on permitting and potential mitigation items — for example, contributions for redesign of the Route 9/Milk Street interchange — that could affect project viability.

The working group will continue discussions with the developer and report back at the next meeting; no formal change to the bylaw or a waiver was approved at the Aug. 8 meeting.