If you have opened this link, you have won the first battle for the Housing Production Plan Steering Committee (HPPSC). Weston needs the input of Weston residents as it constructs the next five-year plan.

What is a Housing Production Plan?

From the Weston official page, you can find many informational documents about the HPP, as well as this brief overview:

A Housing Production Plan (HPP) is a proactive and studied means towards developing affordable housing that is in keeping with the Town’s own affordable housing policies and preferences (PDF).  

The HPP is not a construction plan, but more specifically is intended to communicate to the state how Weston can address its affordable housing responsibilities. This plan contains three elements, which outlines for the state:

• a comprehensive assessment of Weston’s housing needs
• affordable housing goals to meet the needs
• strategies towards achieving the goals

Weston last completed a HPP in 2015. It was first drafted by a housing consultant and overseen by the Select Board-appointed committee. The plan was presented in two different public hearings in order to hear resident feedback. The HPP was then approved by the Select Board (April 26, 2016) and the Planning Board (May 18, 2016) before it was submitted to the state for approval. The Department of Housing and Community Development approved Weston’s HPP on June 28, 2016 [information credit: weston.gov]. 

The fun stuff: Example Housing Options

During the webinar on March 4, there will be discussion about high-density, medium-density and low-density design examples. Each of these may be an existing site option–just for example, it could be the Liberty Mutual site (high-density) or smaller locations like the former Sunrise property on North Avenue. Or it could be a strategic new build site, such as one near Riverside, or next to current Merriam Village, or on top of the Transfer Station (that is a joke).

Personally I am hoping for the Case barn to be re-done into some housing…look at Carlisle’s example above. Ours would be yellow and next to the Legacy Trail. Alas, no. It is slated to be a privately-held “party barn” along with the school house next door. Goats need not apply.

This also seems nice:

Please note these are only examples of designs in other towns. There is NO proposed design yet for Weston.

There is an accompanying map of potential locations. This is destined to cause consternation. You know what I mean. Ask not what Weston can do for your quadrant, but what your quadrant can do for Weston. Or so it was said in 1977 at the time of buying the College Pond property.

Participants in the webinar will be asked for ideas about how to create more diverse housing in Weston, in a thoughtful and conversational (okay, by zoom) set-up. Be a part of the plan, Weston.

March 4, 2021 at 7 pm. You must pre-register here.