Council committee reviews MBTA Communities options; planning director to file draft overlay for public process

The council heard an extensive update on draft options for complying with the MBTA Communities multifamily zoning requirements and directed planning staff to produce formal ordinance language and maps to begin the public-review process.

Consultant Jeff Davis presented several mapped scenarios, emphasizing a recommended "Scenario 5": a 54-acre overlay east of the railroad centered on Anderson Station. Using draft zoning language, the consultant said the scenario could theoretically accommodate roughly 2,631 multifamily units under the state's statutory density calculations, while remaining within a height limit the consultant described as "not beyond 7 or 8 stories" in core locations.

Discussion focused on statutory constraints and local impacts. Staff repeatedly noted that 75% of any overlay must be within a half-mile of transit to meet the MBTA Communities statute; the remaining 25% can be elsewhere within contiguous overlays if acreage thresholds are met. Councilors raised concerns about using Mishawam Station and the risk of displacing single-family neighborhoods, and others recommended focusing new overlay acreage on former industrial parcels near Anderson Station that could also clear contaminated land.

Councilors debated process and timing: some urged patience to see how other towns fare, while others urged the council to file and begin the planning-board hearing schedule now to preserve options before the December statutory timeline. Planning staff and the mayor emphasized the council'level authority to accept or reject any planning-board recommendation; Director Castro and the consultant said they would return a draft ordinance ready for formal filing and public hearing advertising.

What happens next: planning staff will finalize the draft language and zoning maps (consultant indicated a short turn-around of about a week to tweak language), the planning director will file the draft to initiate the planning-board public hearing process, and the city council will schedule its public hearings and deliberations ahead of the state's December deadline. The council repeatedly emphasized that filing a draft does not bind the council to a final vote and the public will have opportunities to weigh in before final action.