Attorney General Andrea Campbell said May 12 that she planned to “review” the multifamily zoning bylaw passed last week by Marblehead Town Meeting to comply with the MBTA Communities Act to determine “if there’s any recourse we can take.”
Campbell’s remarks came during a question-and-answer session during an appearance on Boston Public Radio with hosts James Braude and Margery Eagan. (The question comes at the 12:31 mark of this recording.)
A caller from Somerville asked about a viral clip of resident David Modica criticizing the plan at Town Meeting and asking whether Marbleheaders were “kinda being pricks” by approving a housing plan that could result in little or no new housing development.
The caller expressed the opinion that it is unfair that Somerville, which had already been more densely populated than Marblehead, is bearing a disproportionate share of addressing the state’s housing crisis because it took its obligations under the MBTA Communities Law seriously. Campbell expressed sympathy for that point of view.
Marblehead’s new bylaw designates Tedesco Country Club and Broughton Road for multifamily housing. The state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities sent the town a letter in February stating that Marblehead would be in a “good position for compliance” if Town Meeting approved the plan. But the town must still submit a complete application package for EOHLC’s review to achieve ““interim compliance.”
Marblehead has been out of compliance with the MBTA Communities Law since last July, when voters rejected an earlier proposal that included parts of Tioga Way and Pleasant Street.
The Attorney General’s Office previously filed suit against Marblehead over its noncompliance but paused the case until after Town Meeting.
“We’re following this, and we will determine post-EOHLC review if there’s any legal recourse we can take,” Campbell said.
Eagan interjected, “There’s a sense that some (communities) are pulling fast ones to get out of compliance.”
Campbell responded, “We’re following that. There are a lot of people like David … and I just applaud the civic engagement at the local level when it comes to housing policies.”
The Current has reached out to the Attorney General’s Office for additional comments regarding its plans for the lawsuit against Marblehead.
