It’s been more than 45 years since a Town Meeting decision has been put before the town’s registered voters for a possible repeal, as will be the case with the Jan. 14 special election on Needham’s MBTA Communities Law compliance plan.
It’s not quite déjà vu all over again, but the issues in play now are similar to those discussed in 1979, when Needham voters were asked to repeal the zoning change that ultimately paved the way for the creation of the North Hill senior living complex on a parcel owned by Babson College.
Media reports from the time described opponents as concerned the rezoning of the 59-acre parcel was “an invitation to urban sprawl, that it would open the door to further development and change the mood and character of the town.” In addition, the Town Meeting process of choosing between two options for the same parcel was questioned.
Ultimately, a group called Citizens to Protect Needham Zoning organized a petition drive that succeeded in bringing the issue before all the town’s registered voters.
The issue that led to the repeal effort had been the centerpiece of a Special Town Meeting that convened at the then Newman Junior High School on Feb. 12, 1979. Like the current MBTA vote, there were two versions of zoning changes presented for the same parcel.
Town Meeting was first asked to consider changing the zoning of the 59 acres from a single-family residence zone to what was known as a “Planned Unit Development,” or PUD.
Favored by the Planning Board, the PUD would have allowed the parcel to be developed as “a single entity which includes a mixture of uses, such as residential, commercial, and open space, and a variety of building layouts and designs subject to the issuance of a special permit,” according to the warrant article.
The PUD proved to be a dud. Requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage, the PUD was resoundingly defeated by a vote of 139-68, after which Town Meeting adjourned.
When it resumed on Feb. 14, Town Meeting’s first Valentine’s Day vote was to consider the alternative plan for the parcel, which called for changing the zoning from single residence to an “Apartment A-2” district.
This zoning would allow the development of “an apartment-healthcare facility for the elderly” according to a contemporary Boston Globe story. It would allow a total of 375 housing units for residents aged 55 and above, with Needham residents and their relatives receiving priority over those from outside the community.
Before discussion began on the article, Town Moderator Richard Melick addressed Town Meeting about a possible conflict of interest, “reviewing his history and interest in Babson College” according to the town clerk’s report on the meeting.
Melick had taught at Babson and was a former member of its Board of Corporators.
“He (Melick) called for a voice vote, which he would not observe, in which he offered to step down as Moderator in favor of Town Counsel, William Cross,” according to the clerk’s report. Town Meeting, in a voice vote, allowed Melick to remain as moderator. It carried with only a single “nay” vote being noted.
Babson officials then presented their plans for utilizing the conversion to Apartment A-2. Babson was supported by both the Select Board and the Finance Committee, as well as the Conservation Commission, the Taxpayers Association and the Council on Aging.
It was opposed by the Planning Board and “residents of the area,” according to the town clerk’s report on the meeting.
More drama ensued when a motion to approve was brought to a vote. A hand count showed Town Meeting voting 141-71 to approve the article — one vote short of the required two-thirds. Melick then invoked his privilege to vote and cast the deciding “yes” vote.
That’s when the repeal effort began. Citizens to Protect Needham Zoning got to work and collected enough signatures to schedule a special election for March 26 to repeal the Town Meeting vote. As is true today, the repeal needed both to win a majority of votes and a total of at least 20% of all registered voters in order to pass.
March 26 proved to be an eventful day, and not just for Needham. It began with the signing on the White House lawn of an Israel-Egypt peace treaty that followed the 1978 Camp David Accords. In the evening, Magic Johnson and Michigan State defeated Larry Bird and Indiana State for the NCAA basketball championship in what is still the most watched basketball game of all time.
And at the end of the day, the repeal gained a 55.4% majority of votes cast, but fell more than 100 votes short of the required 20% total of all registered voters.
Construction on North Hill went forward and the facility celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
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