To the editor:
Marblehead warrant Article 36 was rejected two times at Town Meeting in May. It would have approved a state-directed, multifamily housing development on 58.4 acres (56.5 acres when excluding certain land) of our small historic town at three locations. While the plan includes over 300 existing units across the proposed districts that already count towards Marblehead’s requirements, there is still potential for significant population growth under the mandate that the town zone for a total of 897 housing units.
The Marblehead Planning Board’s choice of three lots is a major expansion of the building needed to satisfy state law.
The MBTA Communities Law in MA Bill H3938 changed Chapter 40A Housing and added requirements for communities served by the MBTA by striking out section 3A, including the section 5 quoted by the Planning Board at town meeting.
“An MBTA community will provide at least one district of reasonable size in which multifamily housing shall be permitted without age restrictions and shall be suitable for families with children located within a high-capacity public transportation area.”
The requirements include:
— Minimum density: A minimum gross density of 15 units per acre.
— Age restrictions: The housing must be without age restrictions.
— Family-friendly: The housing must be suitable for families with children.
— Size: The zoning district must be a reasonable size, typically about the size of a neighborhood.
It’s worth noting that Marblehead, as an adjacent MBTA community, has some different requirements compared to communities with direct MBTA stations. The town doesn’t have to meet the requirement that the districts be .5 miles from MBTA transit.
But it’s clear that the Planning Board’s choice of three lots is a major exaggeration of the building needed to satisfy Massachusetts State law.
If our Select Board believes voter rejection of Article 36 puts our town in fiscal jeopardy for state funds, defining a less intrusive housing plan that more closely matches state law requirements for adjacent communities is suggested.
Regards,
Anthony Chamay
Bonad Road
