What are the differences between the various warrant articles filed to comply with the MBTA-CA?
STM1 WA3, STM3 WA1 and STM4 WA1
STM1 WA3, STM3 WA1 and STM4 WA1 contain the Harvard Street Re-zoning, the M Zone Overlay District, the Walnut-High Overlay District and the amendment to the Emerald Island Overlay District.
The differences between STM1 WA3, STM3 WA1 and STM4 WA1 are in how much of the Harvard Street District will mandate Ground Floor Commercial (GFC) use.
- STM1 WA3 mandates GFC only in H-MS zones, intense commercial zones in Brookline Village, Coolidge Corner and JFK Crossing
- STM3 WA1 mandates GFC in H-MS, H-MSN and H-MST zones, but not H-MS-O zones. This includes all of Harvard Street except for a few parcels within Brookline Village and many parcels North of Coolidge Corner.
- STM4 WA1 mandates GFC in all H zones.
The intention of the Select Board was to increase the area where GFC is required in the warrant article so that negotiations for limiting GFC could proceed without running afoul of scope issues caused by adding GFC mandates. STM3 WA1 was expected to fulfill this need, but some language was inadvertently left out in drafting STM3 WA1. Thus, they drafted STM4 WA1.
Only STM4 WA1 will be moved at town meeting by the Select Board. STM1 WA3 and STM3 WA1 will not be moved, so, unless another Town Meeting member moves them (a rogue action), they will be ignored.
STM1 WA4 and STM1 WA5
STM1 WA4 and STM1 WA5 are identical. They contain the M Zone Overlay District, the Walnut-High Overlay District and the amendment to the Emerald Island Overlay District. They do not contain any changes to Harvard Street.
STM1 WA4 was filed by the Select Board and STM1 WA5 was files by a group of TMMs that were concerned that the Select Board might not file STM1 WA4. These TMMs wanted to ensure that the option to exclude Harvard Street is in the warrant and can be moved and debated.
It is expected that STM1 WA5 will be withdrawn, similar to STM1 WA3 and STM3 WA1.