Town of Burlington

Town of BurlingtonTown of BurlingtonFINDINGS REPORT: FINDINGS REPORT: OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC GROWTHGROWTH

Larry Koff & AssociatesLarry Koff & AssociatesBluestone Planning Group / BPGBluestone Planning Group / BPGMark Bobrowski, Esq.Mark Bobrowski, Esq.

QuestioQuestionsns

Why should the town be concerned with Why should the town be concerned with economic growth?economic growth?

Whose responsibility is economic growth?Whose responsibility is economic growth? The private sector?The private sector? The Selectmen?The Selectmen? The Planning Board?The Planning Board?

How does the Landlocked Parcel fit into How does the Landlocked Parcel fit into the town’s economic growth?the town’s economic growth?

How much and what type of growth is How much and what type of growth is needed?needed?

Study Study GoalsGoals

Undertake a comprehensive review of Undertake a comprehensive review of the industrial and business zoning the industrial and business zoning districts.districts.

Identify development opportunities and Identify development opportunities and barriers for growth.barriers for growth.

Recommend development sites and Recommend development sites and strategies to facilitate desirable strategies to facilitate desirable economic growth.economic growth.

Need for Economic Need for Economic GrowthGrowth

Commercial uses Commercial uses account for 60% of account for 60% of the town’s tax the town’s tax revenues while revenues while comprising only comprising only 20% of the town’s 20% of the town’s land arealand area


FY ’08 saw a reversal of the seven year decline FY ’08 saw a reversal of the seven year decline in the commercial share of property taxesin the commercial share of property taxes

Commercial share of taxes at 57.2% or $39.8 mCommercial share of taxes at 57.2% or $39.8 m

CIP Percent of Local Revenue, 1999-2008

54.0%

56.0%

58.0%

60.0%

62.0%

64.0%

66.0%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Fiscal Year

Per

cent


Upgrade older Upgrade older industrial/officeindustrial/office parks with parks with inadequate floor inadequate floor space (single or 2 space (single or 2 story) and mix of story) and mix of uses to meet uses to meet current demandcurrent demand

Need for Economic Need for Economic

GrowthGrowth Reduce Burlington’s commercial vacancy rates Reduce Burlington’s commercial vacancy rates

(20% office, 10% R&D, and 15% industrial) (20% office, 10% R&D, and 15% industrial) Finance roadway, water, and sewer Finance roadway, water, and sewer

infrastructure improvements in order for infrastructure improvements in order for commercial areas to compete with adjacent commercial areas to compete with adjacent towns/citiestowns/cities

Provide funding for improved transit optionsProvide funding for improved transit options Increase quality of life factors: landscaping, Increase quality of life factors: landscaping,

shopping, health, housing mix, open spaceshopping, health, housing mix, open space

OvervieOvervieww BackgroundBackground Planned GrowthPlanned Growth Potential GrowthPotential Growth Six RecommendationsSix Recommendations

BackgrounBackgroundd Current Mix of Current Mix of

Commercial ActivityCommercial Activity 15 million square feet of 15 million square feet of

non-residential spacenon-residential space Office uses dominate Office uses dominate

(5.8 million square feet): (5.8 million square feet): Over 1/3 of total mixOver 1/3 of total mix

Retail/Service uses: 20%Retail/Service uses: 20% R&D facilities: 17%R&D facilities: 17% Hotels and Restaurants: Hotels and Restaurants:

6%6%

Other

4%Institutional

10%Office

36%

Retail/

Service

20%

Hotel

5%

Restaurant

1%

R&D

17%

Industrial

7%

BackgrounBackgroundd Market Market

ConditionsConditionsRental Rates per Square Foot, Burlington and Area

Municipality Office New Office Manufacturing

Burlington $26 $38 $9

Waltham $40 $48 $14

Bedford/Billerica

$15-$20 $28 $5

Planned Planned DevelopmentDevelopment

5.4 million square feet on 12 sites5.4 million square feet on 12 sites

4,492,000

670,000

150,000

75,000

0 1,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 4,000,000 5,000,000

Square Feet

Office

Retail

Medical

Hotel

Use

Planned Development by Use

Planned Planned DevelopmentDevelopment

5.4 million square feet5.4 million square feet 80% office80% office 12% retail12% retail 8% hotel, medical and 8% hotel, medical and

industrialindustrial 5% under construction5% under construction

StatusStatus 31% permitted31% permitted 64% under review, 64% under review,

including Northwest Park including Northwest Park PDDPDD

Potential Potential DevelopmentDevelopment

15 of 17 sites (480 acres) 15 of 17 sites (480 acres) have been identified and have been identified and recommended as options recommended as options for improved industrial/ for improved industrial/ commercial or mixed usecommercial or mixed use

Range of possible uses Range of possible uses includes industrial/R&D, includes industrial/R&D, health sciences, offices, health sciences, offices, mixed use residential/ mixed use residential/ commercial, institutional, commercial, institutional, or recreationor recreation


Redevelopment Site: Involves the demolition of existing buildings and their replacement by new development, which will address water resource and stormwater protection issues

Burlington DodgeCinema128 Corporate CenterDataCon76-80 Blanchard RoadPool & PatioBuilding 19MassHighway Garage/DPW

Retention Site: Includes site planning and/or building improvements to ensure that the majority of current uses and/or properties remain

Terrace HallRay AvenueTerry Avenue


Infill Site: New development or selective redevelopment on a building site surrounded by existing development

New England Executive ParkBurlington Business CenterBurlington Woods

Greenfield: Development of a site that is currently undeveloped

Landlocked Parcel* 245 acres

*Note: The Landlocked Parcel re-use is constrained by a resource protection easement. The Town must initiate a comprehensive site assessment process to clarify its economic development costs and benefits.

Six Six RecommendationsRecommendationsPlanning BoardPlanning Board1.1. Target Economic Growth LocationsTarget Economic Growth Locations2.2. Consider Regulatory ReformsConsider Regulatory Reforms

Board of SelectmenBoard of Selectmen3.3. Initiate Infrastructure Planning and FundingInitiate Infrastructure Planning and Funding

Public/Private Partnership (Chamber and Public/Private Partnership (Chamber and Town)Town)

4.4. Begin Marketing InitiativeBegin Marketing Initiative5.5. Identify Funding and Incentives for Economic Identify Funding and Incentives for Economic

GrowthGrowth6.6. Reconsider Need for Organizational Changes, Reconsider Need for Organizational Changes,

Staffing, and fundingStaffing, and funding

RecommendatioRecommendationsns

1.1.Planning Board: Planning Board: Target Economic Target Economic Growth LocationsGrowth Locations


ZoningZoning Revise Sign Bylaw.Revise Sign Bylaw. Adopt an electronic expedited permitting Adopt an electronic expedited permitting

process, especially within the Priority process, especially within the Priority Development Districts.Development Districts.

Consider the designation of a Growth Consider the designation of a Growth District.District.

Undertake changes to the zoning bylaw: Undertake changes to the zoning bylaw: FAR, parking, uses, site plan review, and FAR, parking, uses, site plan review, and definitions.definitions.

2.2.Planning Board:Planning Board: Consider Consider Regulatory ReformsRegulatory Reforms


Sewer MoratoriumSewer Moratorium Town to institute advanced engineering studies and Town to institute advanced engineering studies and

system improvement contracts to correct deficiencies of system improvement contracts to correct deficiencies of infiltration and inflow so as to facilitate larger scale infiltration and inflow so as to facilitate larger scale development.development.

Town to continue to work with DEP to lift sewer Town to continue to work with DEP to lift sewer moratorium.moratorium.

Town to institute discussions with neighboring affected Town to institute discussions with neighboring affected communities to jointly resolve system problems.communities to jointly resolve system problems.

Water Resource ProtectionWater Resource Protection Facilitate development in the seven growth locations Facilitate development in the seven growth locations

appropriate to the protection of the Aquifer and Water appropriate to the protection of the Aquifer and Water Resource Districts.Resource Districts.

Promote brownfields redevelopment.Promote brownfields redevelopment.

Regulatory Reforms, cont.Regulatory Reforms, cont.

RecommendatioRecommendationsns 3.3.Selectmen: Partner with Business Community Selectmen: Partner with Business Community

for Infrastructure Planning and Fundingfor Infrastructure Planning and Funding

Establish a schedule and formula for funding local roadway Establish a schedule and formula for funding local roadway improvements needed in commercial areas.improvements needed in commercial areas.

Prepare a long term sewer infrastructure plan, project list, Prepare a long term sewer infrastructure plan, project list, and sinking fund to facilitate commercial area expedited and sinking fund to facilitate commercial area expedited permitting permitting

Establish a commercial area infrastructure revolving fund to Establish a commercial area infrastructure revolving fund to receive contributions to carry out large projects.receive contributions to carry out large projects.

Fast track MHD $14 m funding for Middlesex Fast track MHD $14 m funding for Middlesex Turnpike/Mitre Link.Turnpike/Mitre Link.

Initiate a Brownfields Remediation Program.Initiate a Brownfields Remediation Program. Consider establishment of a BID to carry out Town Center Consider establishment of a BID to carry out Town Center

Improvements.Improvements.

Selectmen with support of the Chamber:Selectmen with support of the Chamber:

Encourage Chamber’s initiative to establish a Encourage Chamber’s initiative to establish a Transportation Management Association Transportation Management Association (TMA).(TMA).

Establish a Regional Transportation Authority Establish a Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) to implement a lunchtime shuttle bus (RTA) to implement a lunchtime shuttle bus and provide alternative commuting options.and provide alternative commuting options.

Support MHD efforts in organizing a Route Support MHD efforts in organizing a Route 128 Central Corridor Coalition.128 Central Corridor Coalition.

Work with corridor communities on an Work with corridor communities on an infrastructure improvement plan.infrastructure improvement plan.

Infrastructure Planning and FundingInfrastructure Planning and Funding, , cont.cont.

RecommendatiRecommendationsons

RecommendatioRecommendationsns 4.4.Public/Private Partnership: Begin Marketing InitiativePublic/Private Partnership: Begin Marketing Initiative

The Chamber, with assistance from the Town The Chamber, with assistance from the Town Planning Staff, should identify a marketing Planning Staff, should identify a marketing strategy for Burlington’s business clusters.strategy for Burlington’s business clusters.

The Chamber should work with the Town to The Chamber should work with the Town to update the town’s website to showcase update the town’s website to showcase Burlington’s unique business presence.Burlington’s unique business presence.

The Chamber should establish a sub-The Chamber should establish a sub-committee to support the MOBD consultant’s committee to support the MOBD consultant’s efforts to identify a Corridor marketing efforts to identify a Corridor marketing strategy in conjunction with Bedford, Billerica, strategy in conjunction with Bedford, Billerica, Lowell, and Chelmsford.Lowell, and Chelmsford.

RecommendatioRecommendationsns5.5.Public/Private Partnership: Work to Assess Funding and Incentives for Economic GrowthPublic/Private Partnership: Work to Assess Funding and Incentives for Economic Growth

Chamber to identify funding for the Chamber to identify funding for the development of a marketing strategy.development of a marketing strategy.

Chamber to work with Planning Board and Chamber to work with Planning Board and Selectmen on incentives.Selectmen on incentives.

ZoningZoning Transportation ManagementTransportation Management Infrastructure PlanningInfrastructure Planning

Assess alternative strategies to facilitate Assess alternative strategies to facilitate economic growth, i.e. BID, TIF, DIF, economic growth, i.e. BID, TIF, DIF, betterments, sinking funds.betterments, sinking funds.

RecommendatiRecommendationsons6.6.Public/Private Partnership: Reconsider Need for Organizational Changes, Staffing, and Public/Private Partnership: Reconsider Need for Organizational Changes, Staffing, and

FundingFunding

Chamber: Chamber: Govt. Affairs Committee to initiate monthly meetings Govt. Affairs Committee to initiate monthly meetings

with Town.with Town. Adopt the “Chamber Leads Model” for undertaking Adopt the “Chamber Leads Model” for undertaking

fundraising to support marketing and planning fundraising to support marketing and planning initiatives.initiatives.

Town:Town: Create ad hoc Advisory Committee on economic Create ad hoc Advisory Committee on economic

development/funding.development/funding. Jointly fund with the Chamber and State an economic Jointly fund with the Chamber and State an economic

development specialist.development specialist.

What’s What’s Next?Next?

Planning BoardPlanning Board Regulatory ReformRegulatory Reform

• Zoning Bylaw revisionsZoning Bylaw revisions• Site plan and special permit regulations Site plan and special permit regulations

updatesupdates• Sign Bylaw revisionsSign Bylaw revisions

Improved Web PresenceImproved Web Presence• Website upgrading to facilitate permitting Website upgrading to facilitate permitting

and interaction with residents and business and interaction with residents and business communitycommunity


Town MeetingTown Meeting Sign Bylaw updates (General and Sign Bylaw updates (General and

zoning bylaws)zoning bylaws) Zoning Bylaw updatesZoning Bylaw updates


Board of SelectmenBoard of Selectmen Transportation InitiativesTransportation Initiatives

• Encourage Chamber’s initiative to establish Encourage Chamber’s initiative to establish a Transportation Management Association a Transportation Management Association (TMA)(TMA)

• Support MHD efforts in organizing a Route Support MHD efforts in organizing a Route 128 Central Corridor Coalition128 Central Corridor Coalition

Questions Questions &Answers&Answers

Documents

Town of Burlington