The first public outreach session about proposed MBTA zoning changes will be held Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 2-4 p..m. at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., the Marblehead Planning Board announced Tuesday.
“The format is basically going to be that individuals can come in and just ask questions about the plan,” Town Planner Alex Eitler said. The session kicks off a series of community meetings ahead of a March 11 hybrid public hearing (which is the only one slated for hybrid meeting format) the town’s MBTA Communities Act compliance plan. The town intends to present the zoning proposal again at the May Town Meeting, aiming to secure approval and bring Marblehead into compliance with the state law before a July deadline.
In May 2024, Marblehead Town Meeting voters narrowly rejected a zoning proposal put forth by the Planning Board to create three new multifamily housing districts on Tioga Way, Pleasant Street and Broughton Road. This proposal was designed to bring the town into compliance with the state’s MBTA Communities Act, which requires 177 cities and towns served by the MBTA to establish zoning districts allowing multi-family housing by right.
The decision to offer afternoon sessions on the MBTA zoning aims to accommodate varied schedules. “There’s a lot of people that may not be able to come in the evening,” Eitler said. “We want to give an opportunity for those who maybe have a free moment to come in during the day.”
The following public outreach sessions and presentations to engage residents on the proposed MBTA zoning changes are scheduled as follows:
— Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, 2-4 p.m., Abbot Hall: Public workshop/Q&A session.
— Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, 7 p.m., Abbot Hall: Overview presentation.
— Tuesday, March 11, 7 p.m., Abbot Hall: Formal public hearing, which will be a hybrid format.
— Monday, March 31, 7 p.m., Abbot Hall: Overview presentation.
—Monday, April 7, 2-4 p.m., Abbot Hall: Public workshop/Q&A session.
These sessions will provide comprehensive overviews of the proposed changes.
“The goal is to give people a factual baseline presentation about what it is, why we’re doing it and what the plan has,” Eitler said. He noted presentations would address potential consequences if the town fails to adopt necessary changes.
A new planning department website will launch Feb. 19, featuring information about all proposed zoning changes, with emphasis on the MBTA Communities Act compliance plan.
“The MBTA Communities Act compliance plan will be at the very top because we need to make sure that the public is aware of this zoning plan,” Eitler said.
