Previously Rejected Wayland Housing Complex Being Revived

A previously rejected housing complex for Route 20 in Wayland is getting new life.

Wayland's Economic Development Committee is reviving the previous River's Edge apartment complex proposal and hopes two put two related articles on the Annual Town meeting warrant for April, according to EDC Chairman Rebecca Stanizzi.

If approved, the complex would include 150-190 studio, 1 and two bedroom units, Stanizzi said.

The complex would be located on a town-owned site on Route 20 just over the river near the Sudbury line, Stanizzi said. Currently, dirt piles and an old septic facility sit on the site, she said.

"It's not over the top … it's comfortable," Stanizzi said of the proposal. "We're not changing a lot from last year."

Wayland Town meeting voters narrowly rejected a similar proposal in 2013 after concerns that if the public works building were rejected at the same meeting, that  the DPW building might have to go on the Route 20 site on which River's Edge was slated, Stanizzi said.

With the DPW building now approved for River Road, Stanizzi said the town has revived the previous River's Edge proposal, with small changes. Instead of 216 units as previously proposed, Stanizzi said the town is aiming to have 150-190. The final number will depend on how many units will have age restrictions, Stanizzi said. 

To move into an age-restricted unit, at least one household member would have to be at least 55 years old, Stanizzi said. 

While the town has not yet selected a developer, Stanizzi said the Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly company has expressed interest in developing the site.

First, however, town meeting voters would have to approve two separate proposals. First, voters would have to approve selling the land to a developer. Second, voters would have to approve rezoning the site for residential purposes, Stanizzi said. Currently, the site is zoned for municipal uses. 

As for wireless cell phone tower coverage, the proposal would shrink the area in which a cell tower could be placed, Stanizzi said. Currently, town regulations prohibit cell phone towers from being placed on the site, but they can still be placed within an existing wireless district in which the site sits, Stanizzi said. 

The proposal is slated to be discussed at the Monday, Jan. 13 Board of Selectmen's meeting.