At their February 5, 2024 meeting the Arlington Redevelopment Board dissolved the Master Plan Implementation Committee and its working groups, including this one.

Residential Study Group

Following a resolution of the 2016 Annual Town Meeting, the Residential Study Group was formed to recommend revisions to the Zoning Bylaw that address concern for neighbor impacts of new residential construction in established neighborhoods. At this time, the Residential Study Group is no longer meeting. Please contact Jennifer Raitt in the Department of Planning and Community Development, for more information.

Report on Demolitions and Replacement Homes in Arlington

In 2018, the Residential Study Group has been tasked with studying two interrelated concerns occurring in Arlington: the demolition of structures that may be affordable and the incompatibility of new structures in established neighborhoods. The Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) presented the report on Demolitions and Replacement Homes to the Select Board at its July 22, 2019 meeting. The report includes baseline data and trends related to replacement homes in Arlington, describes the current regulatory framework, spotlights best practices, and makes recommendations. The Board unanimously accepted the report and recommendations, including establishing Design Guidelines. The Town is now forming a Design Review Working Group that will advise on the development of design guidelines for lower-density residential districts and a companion design review process for the Town.

2017 Town Meeting Activities

In 2017, the Residential Study Group advanced a number of articles to Annual Town Meeting including:

• Article 8. Zoning Bylaw Amendment/ Residential Driveway and Parking Accommodation Zoning Changes. This Article addressed concerns about driveways accessing below-grade garages by limiting the grade of driveway slopes and providing incentives to build parking on the surface. The companion article was the 2017 Special Town Meeting Warrant Article 1. Bylaw Amendment/Definitions, to amend the definition of “Open Space, Usable” will reduce the required horizontal dimension to allow an incentive for surface parking at newly-constructed dwellings.

• Articles 11-14 which constitute components of a Residential Construction Control Agreement to codify Town Bylaw rules and regulations and add new rules that address a range of concerns expressed by residents abutting new construction activities.

View all 2017 Warrant Articles developed by the Residential Study Group here.

You can also watch the April 6, 2017 Residential Study Group Public Forum during which these articles were presented. A copy of the presentation can be viewed here.

Survey Results that informed the preparation of the Residential Construction Control Agreement can be viewed below:
Residential Survey Results
Developer Survey Results

Study Group Members

Adam Auster, Town Meeting Member
Andrew Bunnell, Arlington Redevelopment Board
Michael Byrne, Director of Inspectional Services
Adam Chapdelaine, Town Manager
Michael Ciampa, Inspectional Services
William Copithorne, Real Estate Industry representative
Wynelle Evans, Town Manager appointee
Patrick Hanlon, Zoning Board of Appeals
Steve McKenna, Town Manager appointee
Pasi Miettinen,Town Manager appointee
Jonathan Nyberg, Town Manager appointee
Kathleen O'Rourke, Town Manager appointee
Elizabeth Pyle, Town Meeting Member
Kelly Lynema, Assistant Director of Planning and Community Development