Town of Burlington
FINDINGS REPORT:
OPPORTUNITIES AND BARRIERS
TO ECONOMIC GROWTH
Larry Koff & Associates
Bluestone Planning Group / BPG
Mark Bobrowski, Esq.
Questions
Why should the town be concerned with
economic growth?
 Whose responsibility is economic growth?


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The private sector?
The Selectmen?
The Planning Board?
How does the Landlocked Parcel fit into the
town’s economic growth?
 How much and what type of growth is needed?

Study Goals
Undertake a comprehensive review of the
industrial and business zoning districts.
 Identify development opportunities and
barriers for growth.
 Recommend development sites and strategies
to facilitate desirable economic growth.

Need for Economic Growth

Commercial uses
account for 60% of the
town’s tax revenues
while comprising only
20% of the town’s land
area
Need for Economic Growth
FY ’08 saw a reversal of the seven year decline
in the commercial share of property taxes
 Commercial share of taxes at 57.2% or $39.8 m

CIP Percent of Local Revenue, 1999-2008
66.0%
Percent
64.0%
62.0%
60.0%
58.0%
56.0%
54.0%
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Fiscal Year
Need for Economic Growth

Upgrade older
industrial/office parks
with inadequate floor
space (single or 2 story)
and mix of uses to meet
current demand
Need for Economic Growth
Reduce Burlington’s commercial vacancy rates
(20% office, 10% R&D, and 15% industrial)
 Finance roadway, water, and sewer
infrastructure improvements in order for
commercial areas to compete with adjacent
towns/cities
 Provide funding for improved transit options
 Increase quality of life factors: landscaping,
shopping, health, housing mix, open space

Overview
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Background
Planned Growth
Potential Growth
Six Recommendations
Background

Current Mix of
Commercial Activity

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Othe r
Institutional
15 million square feet of
non-residential space
Office uses dominate (5.8
million square feet): Over
1/3 of total mix
Retail/Service uses: 20%
R&D facilities: 17%
Hotels and Restaurants: 6%
4%
10%
Office
Industrial
36%
7%
R&D
17%
Re staurant
1%
Re tail/
Hote l
Se rvice
5%
20%
Background

Market Conditions
Rental Rates per Square Foot, Burlington and Area
Municipality
Office
New Office
Manufacturing
Burlington
$26
$38
$9
Waltham
$40
$48
$14
$15-$20
$28
$5
Bedford/Billerica
Planned Development
5.4 million square feet on 12 sites
Planned Development by Use
75,000
Hotel
150,000
Medical
Use

670,000
Retail
4,492,000
Office
0
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
Square Feet
4,000,000
5,000,000
Planned Development

5.4 million square feet



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80% office
12% retail
8% hotel, medical and
industrial
5% under construction
Status


31% permitted
64% under review, including
Northwest Park PDD
Potential Development
15 of 17 sites (480 acres)
have been identified and
recommended as options
for improved industrial/
commercial or mixed use
 Range of possible uses
includes industrial/R&D,
health sciences, offices,
mixed use residential/
commercial, institutional,
or recreation

Potential Development
Redevelopment Site: Involves the demolition
of existing buildings and their replacement by
new development, which will address water
resource and stormwater protection issues
Burlington Dodge
Cinema
128 Corporate Center
DataCon
76-80 Blanchard Road
Pool & Patio
Building 19
MassHighway
Garage/DPW
Retention Site: Includes site planning and/or
building improvements to ensure that the
majority of current uses and/or properties
remain
Terrace Hall
Ray Avenue
Terry Avenue
Potential Development
Infill Site: New development or selective
redevelopment on a building site
surrounded by existing development
New England Executive
Park
Burlington Business
Center
Burlington 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 Recommendations
Planning Board
1.
2.
Target Economic Growth Locations
Consider Regulatory Reforms
Board of Selectmen
3.
Initiate Infrastructure Planning and Funding
Public/Private Partnership (Chamber and Town)
4.
5.
6.
Begin Marketing Initiative
Identify Funding and Incentives for Economic Growth
Reconsider Need for Organizational Changes, Staffing,
and funding
Recommendations
1. Planning Board:
Target Economic
Growth Locations
Recommendations
2. Planning Board: Consider Regulatory
Reforms
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Zoning
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Revise Sign Bylaw.
Adopt an electronic expedited permitting
process, especially within the Priority
Development Districts.
Consider the designation of a Growth District.
Undertake changes to the zoning bylaw: FAR,
parking, uses, site plan review, and definitions.
Recommendations
Regulatory Reforms, cont.

Sewer Moratorium

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Town to institute advanced engineering studies and system
improvement contracts to correct deficiencies of infiltration and
inflow so as to facilitate larger scale development.
Town to continue to work with DEP to lift sewer moratorium.
Town to institute discussions with neighboring affected
communities to jointly resolve system problems.
Water Resource Protection

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Facilitate development in the seven growth locations
appropriate to the protection of the Aquifer and Water Resource
Districts.
Promote brownfields redevelopment.
Recommendations
3. Selectmen: Partner with Business
Community for Infrastructure Planning
and Funding
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Establish a schedule and formula for funding local roadway
improvements needed in commercial areas.
Prepare a long term sewer infrastructure plan, project list, and
sinking fund to facilitate commercial area expedited permitting
Establish a commercial area infrastructure revolving fund to
receive contributions to carry out large projects.
Fast track MHD $14 m funding for Middlesex Turnpike/Mitre
Link.
Initiate a Brownfields Remediation Program.
Consider establishment of a BID to carry out Town Center
Improvements.
Recommendations
Infrastructure Planning and Funding, cont.
Selectmen with support of the Chamber:
Encourage Chamber’s initiative to establish a
Transportation Management Association (TMA).
 Establish a Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)
to implement a lunchtime shuttle bus and provide
alternative commuting options.
 Support MHD efforts in organizing a Route 128
Central Corridor Coalition.
 Work with corridor communities on an infrastructure
improvement plan.

Recommendations
4. Public/Private Partnership: Begin
Marketing Initiative
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The Chamber, with assistance from the Town
Planning Staff, should identify a marketing
strategy for Burlington’s business clusters.
The Chamber should work with the Town to
update the town’s website to showcase Burlington’s
unique business presence.
The Chamber should establish a sub-committee to
support the MOBD consultant’s efforts to identify a
Corridor marketing strategy in conjunction with
Bedford, Billerica, Lowell, and Chelmsford.
Recommendations
5. Public/Private Partnership: Work to
Assess Funding and Incentives for
Economic Growth

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Chamber to identify funding for the development
of a marketing strategy.
Chamber to work with Planning Board and
Selectmen on incentives.

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Zoning
Transportation Management
Infrastructure Planning
Assess alternative strategies to facilitate economic
growth, i.e. BID, TIF, DIF, betterments, sinking
funds.
Recommendations
6. Public/Private Partnership: Reconsider
Need for Organizational Changes,
Staffing, and Funding
Chamber:
Govt. Affairs Committee to initiate monthly meetings with
Town.
 Adopt the “Chamber Leads Model” for undertaking
fundraising to support marketing and planning initiatives.

Town:
Create ad hoc Advisory Committee on economic
development/funding.
 Jointly fund with the Chamber and State an economic
development specialist.

What’s Next?
 Planning

Board
Regulatory Reform
• Zoning Bylaw revisions
• Site plan and special permit regulations updates
• Sign Bylaw revisions

Improved Web Presence
• Website upgrading to facilitate permitting and
interaction with residents and business
community
What’s Next?
 Town


Meeting
Sign Bylaw updates (General and zoning
bylaws)
Zoning Bylaw updates
What’s Next?
 Board

of Selectmen
Transportation Initiatives
• Encourage Chamber’s initiative to establish a
Transportation Management Association (TMA)
• Support MHD efforts in organizing a Route 128
Central Corridor Coalition
Questions &Answers