An urban renewal plan for a stronger future for Lawrence. Un plan de renovación urbana para un mejor futuro para Lawrence. LAWRENCETBD URBAN RENEWAL PLAN Acknowledgements CITY OF LAWRENCE PREPARED FOR THE LAWRENCE Citizens Advisory Committee Mayor Daniel Rivera REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Joshua Alba Nathan Baez CITY COUNCIL Kristen Harol, Chairman Evan Silverio, Vice-Chairman Lynne Brown Kendrys Vasquez, District C, President Elias Rodriguez, Treasurer Spencer Buchholz Marc Laplante, District F, Vice President Michelle Melancon Nancy Corrigan Brian De Peña, Councilor at Large Jennelle Graziano Katie Darwin Nilka Alvarez-Rodriguez, Councilor at Large James Patrick O’Donoghue (former member) Wilson G. de los Santos Modesto Maldonado, Councilor at Large Jimmy Miranda (former member) Jennifer Hilton Myra Ortiz, District A Martha M. Leavitt Estela Reyes, District B Anne-Marie Doherty, Administrative Assistant Christopher Lynch Jeovanny A. Rodriguez, District D Lawrence P. Mayo, P.C., Outside Legal Counsel April Lyskowsky David C, Abdoo, District E Stephen P. Krumland Maggie Super Church, Project Manager Lesly Medina PLANNING BOARD Jonathon Nix Tamar Kotelchuck, Chairman PREPARED BY Alberto N. Núñez David Quarrell, Vice Chairman Harriman/The Cecil Group, Inc. Yulissa Núñez Myra Ortiz Antonio Reynoso Steven G. Cecil AIA ASLA Richard Padova Enny Bernabel Emily Keys Innes, AICP, LEED AP ND Denise L. Perrault Franklin Veloz FXM Associates, Inc. Brenda Rozzi (Associate Member) Dick Russell Francis X. Mahady Elissa Salas CITY PLANNING STAFF Jacquelyn Hallsmith Gary Sidell Dianne Tsitsos Mariel Silverio Theresa Park, Planning Director Stantec Jonas Stundza Abel Vargas, Director of Business and Economic Drew Leff Kiriza Zihalirwa Development Alexandra Phillips James Barnes, Community Development Director Maixuan Phan Daniel McCarthy, Land Use Planner Bonz & Associates Laiza St. Onge, Asset Manager Robert Salisbury iv LAWRENCE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MAY 2017 Contents E EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 1 E.1 Public Process ........................................................................................................................... 6 E.2 Existing Conditions ..................................................................................................................... 8 E.3 Implementation Plan ................................................................................................................ 16 E.4 Timeline of Improvements ........................................................................................................ 26 E.5 Format ..................................................................................................................................... 28 E-6 Review ...................................................................................................................................... 28 1 760 CMR 12.02 (1): CHARACTERISTICS 1-1 1.1 Description of the Plan Area ....................................................................................................1-2 1.2 Required Maps ........................................................................................................................1-6 1.3 Existing and Proposed Uses ..................................................................................................1-19 1.4 Current Zoning ......................................................................................................................1-22 1.5 Proposed Zoning ...................................................................................................................1-23 1.6 Urban Design Characteristics ................................................................................................1-26 2 760 CMR 12.02 (2): ELIGIBILITY 2-1 2.1 Findings ..................................................................................................................................2-2 2.2 Determination of Conditions: Decadent Area .............................................................................2-4 2.3 Clearance and Rehabilitation ..................................................................................................2-32 2.4 Local Survey and Conformance with the Municipality’s Comprehensive Plan ..........................2-34 LAWRENCETBD URBAN RENEWAL PLAN v 2.5 Regional Planning ..................................................................................................................2-39 2.6 Consistency with the Commonwealth’s Sustainable Development Principles ...........................2-40 3 760 CMR 12.02 (3): OBJECTIVES 3-1 3.1 Plan Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................................3-2 3.2 Effect on Jobs in the Urban Renewal Area ................................................................................3-5 3.3 Proposed Redevelopment Actions ...........................................................................................3-7 3.4 Proposed Regulatory Controls ...............................................................................................3-12 Design Guidelines ................................................................................................................3-16 3.5 Other Regulatory Actions .......................................................................................................3-32 3.6 760 CMR 12.01(7): Public Improvements .............................................................................3-35 3.7 760 CMR 12.02(6): Site Preparation .....................................................................................3-38 4 FINANCIAL PLAN 4-1 4.1 760 CMR 12.02 (4): Financial Plan ..........................................................................................4-2 4.2 Project Budget ........................................................................................................................4-6 5 760 CMR 12.02 (5): REQUISITE MUNICIPAL APPROVALS 5-1 5.1 Redevelopment Authority Approval ..........................................................................................5-2 5.2 Planning Board Determination of Compliance ...........................................................................5-2 5.3 Opinion of Counsel ..................................................................................................................5-3 5.4 Ordinance Committee ..............................................................................................................5-3 vi LAWRENCE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MAY 2017 5.5 City Council Approval .............................................................................................................5-4 6 OTHER REQUIREMENTS 6-1 6.1 Effective Date ..........................................................................................................................6-2 6.2 Duration of Controls ................................................................................................................6-2 6.3 Other State Filings ...................................................................................................................6-2 6.4 Severability .............................................................................................................................6-2 6.5 760 CMR 12.03: Process for Future Plan Changes...................................................................6-3 6.6 760 CMR 12.02 (8): Relocation ...............................................................................................6-4 6.7 760 CMR 12.02 (9): Redeveloper’s Obligations ......................................................................6-4 6.8 760 CMR 12.02(10): Disposition .............................................................................................6-4 7. 760 CMR 12.02 (11): CITIZEN PARTICIPATION 7-1 7.1 Participation in Plan Development ............................................................................................7-2 7.2 Participation in Project Execution .............................................................................................7-6 LAWRENCETBD URBAN RENEWAL PLAN vii List of Appendices (Separately Bound) A MUNICIPAL APPROVALS AND LETTERS OF SUPPORT B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REAL ESTATE MARKET CONDITIONS AND TRENDS: FXM ASSOCIATES C FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS FOR A LAWRENCE 40R OVERLAY DISTRICT AND 370 ESSEX STREET: STANTEC D PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MATERIALS E MINUTES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS F MEDIA REPORTS G NOTIFICATIONS H PROPOSED TEXT FOR ZONING CHANGES (DRAFT) I ENVIRONMENTAL NOTIFICATION FORM (MEPA) (DRAFT) J PARCEL INVENTORY LawrenceTBD EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN LawrenceTBD: An Urban Renewal Plan for a New Century The Lawrence Redevelopment Authority (LRA) started the process of creating this plan with a focus on economic development and how that focus could impact job creation and quality of life for residents and employees within Lawrence and fiscal stability for the City itself. The vision and goals, strategies for action, and actions themselves support this original focus. The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) (25 residents who applied to join this process) and members of the public who attended one or more of the forums had significant input, and, in some cases, drove the development of the actions in this plan. The green dotted line on the map of the urban renewal area to the right appears on every map in this document. This dotted line highlights the Amesbury Street corridor, which is a key connecting corridor