If you attended the Economic Development Committee (EDC) networking event at Trinktisch back in Fall 2022, you may remember the lively discussion about filling the vacant storefronts in Belmont Center. Ideas ranged from more retail and restaurant options to turning the old CVS building into a theater.
Now, almost three years later, those storefronts are still empty. It’s disappointing that our town government has been so slow to act, but it is even more perplexing that Belmont’s Planning Board leadership has chosen to tackle Belmont Center rezoning first —leaving the Brighton/Blanchard area on the back burner.
Let’s be clear! Rezoning Belmont Center to help fill empty buildings and generate commercial tax revenue is a worthy goal. I’m not opposed to giving our flagship business district the attention it deserves. However, it is fair to question whether prioritizing Belmont Center over Brighton/Blanchard the best choice three years after the EDC held its networking event.
My position is straightforward. Given the existing commitments and public statements about the Purecoat site including those made at the November, 2024 Town Meeting — and the urgent need to streamline a confusing patchwork of zoning in that area — it would be more logical to begin where the development potential and expectations already exist.
Brighton/Blanchard ― A Missed Opportunity
During the debate at Town Meeting over 3A many of us fought hard to exclude commercially significant parcels — like the Purecoat site — from those regulations. Why did we do that?
3A developments are “by right,” limiting local control and risking projects that may never deliver on promises for robust commercial tax growth. Instead, Town Meeting Members (TMMs) made it clear that they wanted a more holistic rezoning for the entire Brighton/Blanchard area, including state required environmental remediation and a properly supervised process. There was no doubt that many TMMs supported moving promptly on Brighton/Blanchard. Since that’s the case, why are we not following through?
Adding to this, the Brighton/Blanchard corridor suffers from a maze of zoning designations —Apartment House, General Business, Local Business III, General Residence, and Single Residence — that stifle coordinated and strategic growth. Addressing this patchwork is an obvious step to improve Belmont’s economic future. Ensuring environmental remediation, protecting residents, and expanding our tax base is the epitome of common sense.
Who Decided to Prioritize Belmont Center?
The way this decision was made raises serious questions. Was there ever a formal Planning Board vote to focus town resources on Belmont Center first, or was it a unilateral choice by the Board’s chair? And for a project being framed as a “once in a generation” rezoning initiative, is tonight’s workshop—which isn’t even listed on the town’s website or calendar—the only meaningful input opportunity for business owners, property owners, abutters, and residents? And why haven’t the results of the 400-response community survey been shared with either workshop invitees or the public in advance? These choices are not helping to build trust in our local government processes.
A Matter of Transparency and Trust
As a candidate for the Select Board, my central themes are community and common sense. Both are served when major decisions about land use and development happen transparently and with genuine public input. Our town remains on precarious financial footing, and everyone agrees that responsible commercial growth is needed. 3A will result in more housing development. We have only a few viable commercial corridors where we can realistically grow our commercial base — Brighton/Blanchard is clearly one of them.
What Belmont cannot afford is confusion or a lack of coordination among the Select Board, the Planning Board, and key stakeholders. We need a clear process, with defined priorities, realistic timelines, and public accountability. That means starting where Town Meeting left off and addressing the redevelopment of Brighton/Blanchard — especially the Purecoat site — sooner rather than later.
A Call to Reassess
I believe Belmont can revitalize its commercial tax base through thoughtful planning in Belmont Center and through strategic development in Brighton/Blanchard. But if we genuinely want to make the most of our limited town resources — and respect what the majority of Town Meeting Members have already signaled — we should focus on Brighton/Blanchard first. That’s not just my personal opinion; it’s the common-sense approach that respects the will of Town Meeting and the potential for truly transformative development in the Brighton area.
As we move forward, let’s ensure our decisions are driven by practicality and transparency. Our local leaders should listen to the community, consider the bigger picture, and start where redevelopment can do the most good in the shortest time. Belmont residents deserve no less.
I don't agree with your view on "Brighton/Blanchard first" -- although this is indeed a bit of a wasteland, the traffic situation on Brighton Street is already bad enough without additional residential highrises. In the mornings, Brighton/Blanchard is a parking lot all the way between Pleasant St and Concord Ave, and in the afternoon it's exactly the same in the opposite direction. Most of that traffic is caused by cars avoiding the Alewife intersection, but unless we solve this FIRST, additional housing in this area would simply exacerbate the situation.
If we took down the Purecoat area, maybe this could be converted in additional sports fields for Belmont? We already have a lack of decent soccer fields, and the high/upper-middle…