Planning Board approves Sycamore St. housing permits

Planning Board · Meeting of August 4, 2026

BELMONT — The Belmont Planning Board voted unanimously to approve final permits for a Belmont Housing Authority affordable housing project on Sycamore Street. The 5-0 vote clears two special permits and a design and site plan review for the 120-unit 131-135 Sycamore Street development, including a parking waiver for the gap between construction phases 1a and 1b. Planning Manager Conor McCormack said the DPW had "no concerns" with the project's two entrances.

Separately, the board worked through proposed changes to the inclusionary housing bylaw with the Belmont Housing Trust, including a new cap limiting the cash-payment-in-lieu option to developments of six to 10 ownership units, calculated as "5 percent of the total sale price" of the entire development. The board also approved a special permit for a 1,633.7-square-foot second-story addition at 62 Vernon Road and continued debate on the proposed Hill's Crossing Overlay District, with Director Chris Ryan saying he is "98 to 100 percent sure" state law will require some residential component to preserve a simple-majority Town Meeting vote.

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Source: the Planning Board meeting of August 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.