Planning Board Approves Zoning Plan to Comply with MBTA Law

The Rehoboth Planning Board voted Wednesday to forward the latest zoning plan to comply with 3A to the Board of Selectmen for a vote at the Spring Town Meeting in June.

Section 3A of the Massachusetts Zoning Act (MBTA Communities Act) requires 177 cities and towns with or near MBTA transit to create at least one zoning district allowing multi-family housing by-right.

Vice-chair Stacy Haskell objected, noting the board had not been allowed sufficient time to review the latest plan.

“It just came in this morning,” Haskell said. “Did you guys read it? I just got it tonight when I walked in the door. So you’re just okay with sending it off without reviewing it yourself? None of us should be okay with that.”

“I’m okay with it,” member Lenny Mills replied. Mills also serves as a town selectman.

Krystle Adams, an opponent of the MBTA Communities Act, warned of the consequences if the zoning plan was approved at town meeting.

“This will strain everything in this town,” Adams noted. “And the state did not do an impact study to see how it would affect us, at any point. This comes in, and it does strain our resources, the state does not say that they’re going to fund us for anything that becomes strained because of 3A. I’m sorry, but I’ll pay the bill to keep the town the way it is.”

Mills assured opponents that the board wasn’t endorsing the MBTA Communities Act.

“The fight is to be won at the town meeting that’s coming up in the next few months, not tonight.”

The acceptance of a Multi-Family Overlay District failed at last November’s Town Meeting. 186 voted in favor, with 241 in opposition.

The Governor’s office has warned that communities which choose not to comply with the law will lose funding from the Housing Choice Initiative, the Local Capital Projects Fund established in section 2EEEE of chapter 29; the MassWorks infrastructure program established in section 63 of chapter 23A, or the HousingWorks infrastructure program established in section 27½ of chapter 23B.