Town Meeting Will Consider Changes To High Rise Industrial Zoning

BURLINGTON, MA — At Monday's town meeting, more than a quarter of the articles before voters will involve one topic: High Rise Industrial (IH) Zoning. One article makes changes to the district's dimensional requirements, while the other three rezone specific areas to belong to the modified district. The owners of the properties worked with the planning board on the articles, which they argued would help encourage life sciences in the district.

Scott Weiss of Gutierrez Properties, one of the three property owners, was joined by attorney Robert Buckley to present the three zoning map articles to the Board of Selectmen at their Jan. 13 meeting. According to their presentation, life sciences is the fastest growing industry in the state.

The largest change to the district reduces the maximum height from 155 to 90 feet. The article also shrinks the minimum setbacks and eliminates the required 50 feet gap between buildings. Up to two levels of parking, based on distance from residential zones, to not be counted toward the building's eight limit. According to the presentation, structured parking is often critical for life sciences uses, as a perk for employees.

As laid out in the backup for the warrant articles, the four amendments are part of the "Burlington Life Science Initiative." Currently, only three parcels are zoned for Life Science development, under the IH zoning: the Burlington Marriott, the Hilton Garden Inn and the most recent Oracle Building.

The three zoning map articles would rezone the following parcels as IH: 3 Van de Graaff Drive, 60 Blanchard Road and 400‐600 Summit Dr. The Gutierrez family owns the Summit Drive parcel. The full warrant is available here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.