By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
Town Manager Michael Borg came before the Planning Board on Thursday, Aug. 7, to ask for a change in zoning at the former Allen Avenue Elementary School, in hopes of making the property more attractive to potential developers.
“What I’m asking to do is work with the Planning Board to be able to come together and produce more options,” said Borg. “I’d like to see the potential of what other developers would offer and look at what that land might be appropriately used for.”
Borg said that over the past year he has worked with the Conservation Commission to expand the lot size to increase its appeal, which did not pan out. The former elementary school, located at 290 Allen Ave., is on 16 acres of land and currently zoned under R20, a residential zoning district that requires a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet.
According to Borg, a change in zoning from R20 to a C60 commercial zoning or even a mixed-use zoning would not only attract a wide array of developers, but also save a potential buyer the hassle of changing the zoning after the purchase.
“I would like to add the zoning to give the developers the assurance they want, that if they have a proposal that would fit into a C60, they wouldn’t have to come back to this board and defend it twice,” said Borg.
Borg also warned of the town being potentially forced into a “40B situation” if the zoning is not preemptively changed. He is referring to a Massachusetts statute that would allow a developer to apply for a comprehensive permit to build affordable housing. This would override the authority of the Zoning Board of Appeals, as North Attleborough is far below the requirement of having 10% of its housing stock deemed affordable.
Only around 3% of the town’s housing qualifies as affordable, through a new project on Kelley Boulevard could increase this to 6%.
The next steps involve the town putting together a Request for Proposals, which would outline what developers could potentially do with the property. The town also plans to craft a zoning bylaw that will be referred to the Planning Board and ByLaw Subcommittee, before being voted on by the Town Council.
“I want to work with the Planning Board to figure out how we can do this and what potential development could happen there,” said Borg. “If we have more options and more submissions that come in, we get to pick. This is what the intent of the RFP is to do, is to put the town, along with the Planning Board, in the driver’s seat in the selection.”
Two separate public hearings before Town Council and the Planning Board are required by law to give residents as opportunities to speak on the sale of the property. Borg gave an estimated timeline of 90 to 120 days for a final petition to be crafted and voted on.
“Ultimately, it doesn’t sound like any of us are against looking into changing it,” said Vice Chair Bill Blais. “And, ultimately, whatever it’s changed to in the end, we still hold all the cards because we’re the permitting authority for what happens.”
Allen Avenue School history
The school closed in 2015 due to budget constraints and a failed vote on a $4 million Proposition 2 1/2 override in April of that same year. The town’s then-900 students were relocated among the five elementary schools in North Attleborough, and the has sat largely unused since.
In 2021, Borg outlined a plan to use $5 million in American Rescue Act funding to revamp the school and turn it into a new senior center, a plan that did not come to fruition. $50,000 was spent in 2019 to analyze the building and identify its issues, which include a leaky roof, the removal of hazardous materials, and a new fire suppression system.
At a 2021 Town Council meeting, Borg explained that the architectural report showed the building has a fire alarm system, but no sprinklers. In addition, there is asbestos in the floor tiles, and evidence of it in the window and roof caulking. He said the report showed that the mechanical systems in the building are dated, and there is no Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system.
“The vision is to allow developers broader options to bring to this area,” said Borg. ”I would like to sell this property for the benefit of the town and use it as a spring board in that area, next to the mall, to attract more positive economic development in the town.”