The Marblehead Housing Coalition and Marblehead Democratic Town Committee are sponsoring an education outreach program on the MBTA Communities Act and zoning issues in town. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 28, 6 p.m. at Abbot Library and on Zoom.
At May’s Town Meeting, voters rejected multifamily zoning changes to meet the state’s new MBTA Communities Act requirements. Beginning Dec. 31, Marblehead will not be in compliance and is at risk of losing millions of dollars in state grants.
Opponents of the MBTA Communities Act call it government overreach.
Last week, the state Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments in Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s compliance case against the town of Milton, which also rejected zoning changes. Milton’s Planning Board is currently working on back-up plans in case the town loses its case.
At the Oct. 28 meeting, presenters from the Marblehead Housing Coalition William Keaney, Pierce Law, Rick Smyers and Brian Rooney will answer questions such as:
- What is the MBTA Communities Act?
- Why was it passed?
- What was Marblehead’s plan to comply?
- How would adoption or rejection of the plan impact Marblehead’s finances, character and quality of life?
Check out the Current’s special webpage on the MBTA Communities Act HERE, for comprehensive coverage, editorials, letters and more.
