Project Objective
The primary objective of the Linden Street Master Plan is to present a program to implement the vision and goals of Phase I. This includes improvement of public safety, traffic operations, visual character, and economic vitality. In doing this, partnership opportunities bring diverse interest groups together, to promote an appropriate mix of business and residential uses, identify redevelopment opportunities, and provide suggestions for alternative land use regulations.
Objectives of the Master Planning Process
» Identify various options for street design.
» Present pedestrian and vehicular circulation options for the major commercial parking lots.
» Explore the potential for compatible infill development.
» Determine the accessibility for an additional pedestrian connection across the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) railroad tracks.
» Explore alternatives for decking the Tailby Parking Lot.
» Explore further design options for a parking at the Weston Road Substation.
» Prepare an overall plan for the revitalization of the Linden Street Commercial Area based on creative ideas,. rigorous public review, and broad support.
» Evaluate current development patterns, zoning and other land use regulations.
» Identify and examine alternate redevelopment scenarios.
» Develop cost estimates for the proposed public improvements, potential funding sources, and implementation schedules and strategies.
The Linden Street Project Area (illustrated in Figure 1) is generally divided into two distinct sections: the residential section between Weston Road and Crest Road; and the commercial section between Crest Road and Kingsbury Street. The corridor improvement plans and recommendations recognize the individual characteristics of these two areas.
FIGURE 2: LINDEN STREET PROJECT AREA
Issues & Recommendations
Traffic Circulation and Parking
• Linden Street is used as a bypass to Route 16 and Central Street because of traffic congestion. This has resulted in conflicts between business, residential and through traffic.
• Traffic speed is a concern of Linden Street businesses and area residents. More signage and better enforcement of the speed limit is sought.
• Accident data reveals that there have been 40 accidents over a 2 ½ year period. A number of the recorded accidents have been rear end crashes possibly indicating inattentiveness by drivers having difficulty in turning onto the street, creating conflicts between street through traffic and customer business traffic.
• Several properties have multiple curb cuts creating more conflict points on the street and internal circulation problems. A number of these could be combined resulting in additional on-site parking spaces. Internal connections and common driveways should be encouraged where feasible.
• Commercial property owners want to maintain and add parking where possible. Additional parking is included on the Corridor Improvement Plan with the possible decking of the Tailby Lot, a new lot on the Weston Road Substation property, a possible parking structure located behind 141 and 151 Linden Street, and by reconfiguring existing space on private parking lots.
Pedestrian Environment
• The pedestrian environment is generally considered unappealing due to high volumes and speed of automobile traffic, poor internal connections to business, poor sidewalk conditions, and few amenities such as benches.
• A pedestrian overpass crossing the railroad right-of-way would be very expensive given track clearance and handicapped accessibility requirements. A more feasible option would be an underpass, which is included on the Corridor Improvement Plan in two possible locations.
• A safer and more attractive pedestrian environment is sought as well as a more traditional village atmosphere with a better mix of uses (restaurants and small retail shops ), which would encourage more pedestrian activity.
• Existing crosswalks are not prominent, and do not adequately advise drivers to slow down to look for pedestrians.
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Crosswalk at 178 Linden St. |
Sidewalk in front of 180 Linden St. |
Streetscape Improvements
• The Corridor Improvement Plan recommends the Linden Street roadway to include two (2) travels lanes of 11’-0”; two marked side lanes of 3’-6”; and an 8-foot sidewalk on each side of Linden Street within the commercial core between Kingsbury Street and Everett Street. Also recommended is the expansion of the landscaped islands in this area. For the area between Everett Street and Weston Road, the right-of-way should include two (2) travel lanes measuring 11’6” and a 5-foot sidewalk on each side.
• The Corridor Improvement Plan also includes enhanced and expanded pedestrian-scaled features such as streetlamps, sidewalk pavers, mature trees, quality signage, and landscaping.
• Private landscaping and plantings should respect the integrity of the street. They should not obscure buildings and businesses and should allow views to and from streets and sidewalks.
Planting strip in front Roche Brothers Supermarket
Land Use & Regulatory Analysis
• Current zoning is not entirely reflective of the existing land uses, which are approximately one-half commercial and one-half residential.
• A significant portion of the Business Zone is occupied by multi-family housing (Linden Square Town Houses behind Diehl’s Home Center);
• Limited Residential District is primarily used for public parking (the Tailby Lot);
• The Industrial District is utilized primarily by commercial uses.
• Wellesley has cumulative zoning, meaning that what is allowed in lower intensity districts (i.e. General Residential) is also permitted in higher intensity districts (i.e. Industrial). While this zoning technique encourages mixed use in higher intensity districts (which is encouraged for the Linden Street corridor), it does not necessarily provide for the optimal density of uses. This method often results in conflicting land uses.
• Use and dimensional requirements for the General Residential (GR) District appear to work well and result in few conflicting uses or patterns of development.
• The Limited Residential (LR) District includes two parcels totaling 2.16 acres. The Tailby Public Parking Lot is the majority of the land area within this zone. The LR District street setback requirement is 30 feet, which is constraining for residential development in combination with parking.
• Permitted uses and dimensional requirements in the Business (B) and Industrial (I) Districts are very flexible, although the required front-yard setback (30 feet) and floor area ratio (.3) encourage generally unattractive strip development.
• Major amendments to the existing zoning regulations in the Linden Street Corridor would be difficult and contentious. Any changes to the approval process for the study area would apply to other areas of Wellesley, and would likely be difficult to gain a consensus.
• Most participants feel that the existing zoning (or at least the existing types of development) in the corridor is serving the area adequately.
• The primary concern raised by property and business owners in the study area is the lengthy review process. The combined review process by the Design Review Board, Planning Board and ZBA can easily take up to 6 months and, in a number of cases, much longer.
Recommendations for Changes to Land Use Regulations
• Expedite the development review process for smaller projects and those meeting the land use goals of the Linden Street Study.
• Reduce setback requirements in LR District from 30 to 10 feet to allow more opportunity of multi-family development such townhouses and apartments in combination with parking improvements.
• Reduce front-yard setback requirements in B and I districts from 30 feet to 10 feet to allow for more side and rear parking lots
• Eliminate the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in B and I districts to provide more infill and multi-story buildings. Parking and landscaping requirements provide adequate protection from individual parcels being overdeveloped.
• Site Plan Review - Consider a new threshold for smaller commercial projects that meets the objectives of the district and where potential impacts can be resolved administratively or through performance standards.
Recommendations for Parking Requirements
• Reduce the on-site parking requirement from 3.2 to 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross building space.
• Allow for off-site, off-street parking to satisfy a portion of the commercial parking requirement.
• Shared parking agreements between adjacent property owners should be encouraged where uses are compatible and have differing peak demand times.
• Encourage off-site parking arrangements for employees.
Recommendations for Parking Requirements
• Require new development and redevelopment to provide landscaping plans consistent with the Corridor Improvement Plan (CIP).
• Trees planted in conjunction with the CIP should have a have a minimum caliper of 2.5” to 3.0” measured at 4.5 feet above ground level
• Should have branches pruned to a minimum of 8 feet above ground level
• Should be heat, drought, and salt tolerant.
Future Development Scenarios
• Higher density mixed uses are very possible in the commercial section of the corridor given the areas proximity to established commercial districts (on Linden Street and nearby in Wellesley Square), civic uses (parks and public facilities such as Town Hall and the new Library), educational services (public and private schools), and the MBTA commuter rail service and station).
• Recommend adoption of a Mixed-Use Overlay District ordinance to use as a tool to reinvent strip development and facilitate pedestrian-scale design. The overlay district would not replace the existing zoning districts but provide a more flexible alternative for new development and redevelopment. Unlike conventional ordinances which tend to prevent traditional patterns of walkable, mixed use districts, the proposed overlay district is designed to accomplish the following goals:
» Design streets and parking areas to balance the needs of both automobiles and pedestrians.
» Provide for building sizes and character that define streets and public spaces.
» Reduce the need to expand infrastructure and automobile use.
» Provide flexibility for property owners to create attractive, high quality development, and maximize the efficiency of land use.
» Encourage social, educational, employment, recreational, and shopping opportunities in close proximity to residences.
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