Boxborough housing board narrows next steps for 72 Stow Road; water supply and zoning flagged as key constraints

The Boxborough Housing Board spent the bulk of its meeting re-examining the 72 Stow Road concept-development recommendations and identifying the technical and procedural questions that must be resolved before the town advances a development plan. The board concluded water supply and state program eligibility are the primary constraints on density and housing type.

Board members reviewed the 2013 SRCDC conclusions that favored ownership-focused housing (starter and senior units) over rentals and noted the group had sought a mix of unit types and aimed for a share of deed-restricted affordable units. The board reiterated concerns about well protection zones and nitrogen-loading limits: the existing well-zone layout would limit the number and mix of bedrooms the site can support unless municipal water is available.

Members discussed alternatives, including multiple private wells (each limited to fewer than 15 connections) and extending a municipal pipeline; there was no certainty that a Littleton water extension would reach Stow Road or that municipal water would be available on the needed timeline. The board resolved to re-check program rules for 40Y and 40R — in particular whether municipal water and sewer are required for eligibility — and to review the presenters’ slides for precise incentive numbers.

To avoid working on options that are not feasible, the board agreed on two procedural next steps: (1) Ian will contact the Planning Board to ask whether planners prefer to be involved early in a joint discussion or would rather the housing board develop a formal proposal first, and (2) the board will devote its July meeting (or a special session if needed) to a focused review of 72 Stow Road, with the goal of narrowing preferred housing types and obtaining a ‘‘sanity check’’ from planning/zoning representatives on what zoning changes or special permits would be required.

The board also asked staff to assemble and circulate the SRCDC materials, the RFP language, and the recent survey/poster data collected at Fifer’s Day so members and any invited experts can assess options before the July session. The meeting closed with those action items assigned and a plan to invite the Planning Board or a zoning representative to help clarify what is politically and procedurally feasible.