Planning Board pivots on MBTA 3A strategy as April hearing looms

SUDBURY — January 24, 2024 — Sudbury Planning Board pivots on MBTA 3A geography as April bylaw hearing nears. VHB urban planner Jennifer Nelson told the board Wednesday that amending the existing North Road Residential Overlay District — roughly 109 acres — may be cleaner than layering three new multi-family sub-districts across about 59 acres of existing overlays at Avalon, Cold Brook Crossing and the Maloney 40R parcel. Member Anuraj Shah pushed back, preferring the three sub-district option because the candidate parcels are largely built out and rezoning a North Road office park could trigger by-right redevelopment. Chair Stephen Garvin framed the existing overlays as proof Sudbury is "ahead of" the 750-unit state minimum. The board also continued Primrose School's new daycare hearing at 225-227 Boston Post Road and Celebree School at 631 Boston Post Road to Feb. 28, and accepted scaled-back plans for 210-212 Pratt's Mill Road cutting building coverage by 9.5 percent on Lot 1A.