Chapter 40B Local Initiative Program (LIP) and Chapter 40B projects must adhere to a statutory timeline, as outlined below. Residents should familiarize themselves with this information and be prepared prior to the scheduling of the public hearing before the Millbury Board of Appeals or any other Massachusetts communities monitoring our progression through this permitting process, like Auburn, West Boylston, Sutton, Douglas, etc. for Chapter 40B projects in their community.

In the case of the proposed Rice Pond Village Chapter 40B LIP project for 17 Rice Road in Millbury, Massachusetts, Steven F. Venincasa and James Venincasa under the entity name of Rice Pond Village, LLC, cannot submit an application to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) before February 14, 2023. Therefore, all public hearing comments should be prepared and ready to present and submit to the Millbury Board of Appeals prior to February 14, 2023.

According to Judy Barrett’s Understanding the Local Initiative Program (LIP) Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit presentation, public comments should focus on “local concerns” defined as:

• Health

• Safety

• Environmental

• Design

• Open Space

• Planning

• Other Local Concerns (related to physical development of the site)

Our neighborhood and the wider community’s stance has been and remains that we are not against affordable housing, we simply want safe, appropriate, and responsible development throughout our neighborhood, town, and state. What has been proposed to date by Steven F. Venincasa and James Venincasa for the combined properties at 17 Rice Road in Millbury, Massachusetts simply does not meet most people’s criteria of safe, appropriate, or responsible development as the developer’s proposal exacerbates public safety problems and its density far exceeds anything in the entire town of Millbury. In most people’s opinions, the latest iteration of the proposed 192-apartment project is an ill-conceived proposed project to punish our neighborhood and the town of Millbury for not conceding to Steven F. Venincasa’s demands to allow him to do as he pleases regardless of the increased public safety implications and the resulting detrimental impact upon the character of the neighborhood.

Chapter 40B was never intended to be used as a weapon against neighborhoods and communities, to exact revenge, or to bypass local zoning regulations. Unfortunately, that is how some developers have chosen to exploit Chapter 40B as a cover to reap profits from projects that primarily cater to higher-income demographics.

Let’s keep in mind that 75% of the units are market-rate, whereas only 25% are affordable apartments as proposed for the Chapter 40B LIP Rice Pond Village project.

Affordable housing is defined as “Affordable to households with income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).“ FY2022 HUD Income Limits for Worcester County Metro Area AMI is defined as $116,700 per year.

Source: Judy Barrett presented these AMI qualifications to the Millbury Board of Selectmen in her Understanding the Local Initiative Program (LIP) Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit presentation.