The 50 Silsbee St./55 Friend St. site has long been considered a key transit-oriented development (TOD) site, and an important redevelopment opportunity for the City in realizing a revitalized and active downtown.
My administration, as well as previous administrations, have worked diligently to attract the type of redevelopment project for the site that is consistent with the City’s goals around housing, economic development, and creating a vibrant downtown that complements the existing neighborhood, while effectively mitigating the potential negative effects this type of project might bring.
I believe that redevelopment of this property remains a key development opportunity in our downtown. However, I object to the process that was carried out leading up to and during the City Council meeting where the special permit was approved on Sept. 7 to allow the construction of a six-story, multi-family, mixed-use building at 50 Silsbee St./55 Friend St.
The special permit request was submitted to the Council, as the project lacks the required commercial space on the ground floor as typically required in the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district. The process leaves many open questions relative to the proposed project, was carried out with limited public engagement, and ultimately is a lost opportunity for the City.
I am also specifically troubled that the development project in question was not brought to my attention prior to submission to the City Council for consideration. Further, and more concerning, is the complete lack of process in vetting of the project in concert with the development professionals working on behalf of the community.
It is my understanding that many of the appropriate city departments and relevant agencies were not consulted. Specifically, the Lynn Economic Development & Industrial Corporation (EDIC), Lynn Planning Department, nor the Lynn Housing & Neighborhood Development (LHAND) were consulted or brought into the process to inform the Council in its decision-making process.
This runs counter to past practice when considering new development, particularly within the downtown area or other projects of similar scale, considering and including an affordable component in the project, and ensuring developments seeking relief from the Lynn zoning code meet broader community objectives while successfully mitigating impacts brought by those projects.
More recently, the City Council supported the creation of a Planning Department to support the Mayor’s Office, City Council, and other development-related boards and commissions in ensuring a robust development review process is carried out to ensure new development serves a broader public purpose.
It’s perplexing to me how this project would proceed to the Council and receive unanimous support when none of the departments or agencies tasked with orderly development in our City were involved in that process.
My review of the limited materials submitted to the Council in connection with the special-permit request leave many open questions. The special permit is a discretionary process providing the granting authority, in this case the City Council, broad authority to approve, approve with conditions, or deny a request for special permit.
It is also a process that, as the elected chief executive of this City, I have no legal authority to consent to or veto the decision of the Council, as I do for all other Council Orders. There is no check and balance provided in the special-permit process.
Given the discretionary nature of a special-permit request, I would expect the development-review process would likely include a much deeper analysis of the project impacts, and would clearly demonstrate that project outcomes are consistent with redevelopment goals of the City. I believe that the broader community expects the City, as represented by this administration and the City Council, is carrying out a comprehensive development-review process to ensure the public interest is served.
What’s not clear to me is whether the community is aware that these City departments and agencies were not involved in reviewing the project in order to inform the decision-making process, and ultimately ensure the City benefits from the best possible project.
The project proposal includes redevelopment of the approximately-one-acre of land located at 50 Silsbee St. and 55 Friend St. into a six-story, mixed-use residential building with 181 residential units, 1,000 square feet of commercial space, and 102 parking spaces.
A special permit was previously issued by the City Council in 2016, and since lapsed, allowing construction of a mixed-use residential project with 115 residential units, 21,502 square feet of commercial space and approximately 40 parking spaces. The current iteration is a significantly larger project than the previously-approved project with substantially less commercial space as required under zoning.
Because of the lack of input into this process by City departments and agencies, and limited input by the public, there are many questions that need to be answered, including, but not limited to:
- To what extent a traffic impact and access study was conducted to fully assess traffic impacts of the project, and reasonable enhancements to the project site and surrounding street network to mitigate traffic impact.
- To what extent a parking analysis was conducted as part of the project to fully understand how parking is sufficiently provided to minimize impacts on the neighborhood.
- To what extent was the development team vetted to demonstrate capability in carrying out the development project as proposed.
- To what extent does the project address economic development objectives in revitalizing and activating the downtown, particularly given the loss of ground-floor commercial uses.
- To what extent a comprehensive review of building design and architectural details were reviewed, particularly given the loss of ground-floor commercial uses, considering the City’s interest in creating a streetscape that supports a walkable, vibrant downtown.
- To what extent site conditions affect the ability to provide ground-floor commercial, as is the policy for redevelopment in our downtown, and how the building could have been adjusted to meet the spirit of this objective.
- Lastly, I applaud and support public commentary seeking affordability to be built into the project, and the Council’s response in requiring that as a part of this public hearing, but would have preferred that issue of community benefits be addressed in the larger development context and result in a development project that truly balances a broader set of community needs around new housing development, affordable housing, and economic development within the site context.
I am aware that the public hearing, and by extension public notice, was carried out according to the minimum legal requirements under Massachusetts General Law. That said, we can do better. It was clear in reviewing the proceedings that the public wasn’t fully aware of the project and their ability to comment or shape the project was limited; the extent to which the project was vetted by City officials hired to carry out that process was limited. The process for development of these projects needs to be more transparent and informed by professionals working on behalf of the City and its residents.
I respectfully ask that going forward, the City Council work collaboratively amongst the Legislative and Executive Branch along with the economic-development departments and agencies, and improve the special-permit public process, so that we are assured of quality projects that bring value to our City.
Thomas M. McGee is the mayor of Lynn.