Two Planning Board Incumbents and One Challenger Debate Winchester Zoning, Housing at Forum

WINCHESTER — February 26, 2026 — Three candidates compete for two Winchester Planning Board seats in League of Women Voters forum. Incumbents Nicholas Rosetos and Carrie Layton faced challenger Amy Belivo at a Thursday forum at the JANK Center, moderated by Nell Forges of the League of Women Voters of Sudbury and broadcast by Wincam. All three candidates agreed Winchester remains roughly 400 units short of the state's 10 percent subsidized housing inventory threshold and called for a comprehensive zoning bylaw overhaul, with Layton noting that an override vote would fund the review. Layton argued the town needs "about 40 units per year over 10 years" to reach compliance, while Belivo raised the possibility of allowing interior multi-unit conversions in single-family structures without exterior alteration. Rosetos, who described his professional background as a consulting chief financial officer, argued the board must negotiate more aggressively with developers to make mixed-use projects financially viable, saying the opportunity lies in offering "sweeteners" that make ground-floor commercial uses worthwhile. Election day is Saturday, March 21, with early in-person voting beginning March 14 at Town Hall.