Hamilton Planning Board accepts 50-unit base density for 133 Essex senior housing project

HAMILTON — October 5, 2021 — Hamilton Planning Board sets 50-unit base density for Tobacco Hill senior housing proposal. The board reached consensus at its October 5 meeting that the senior housing bylaw caps the proposed 133 Essex Street development at 50 units, derived from 44.6 developable upland acres on Lot One at two units per acre, though the theoretical yield of 88 was held back by a per-project limit in the bylaw. Attorney Jill Mann, representing Tobacco Hill Capital Partners, called the formula "ministerial" and "crystal clear," while members Amal Dahlquist and Jonathan Poor argued steep slopes and other conservation constraints should factor into the calculation. Attorney Deborah Eliasson, representing Save Tobacco Trails and Watershed, separately argued the 50-unit cap includes the six required affordable units, leaving only 44 market-rate units on site — a question pending a legal opinion from town counsel. The board unanimously approved ANR plans for both 133 Essex Street and 617 Highland Avenue and continued the special permit hearing to October 19. The project would bring Hamilton to 85 of its 100-unit town-wide senior housing limit if approved at full density.