Housing construction in Wakefield. (Frank Conte, file photo)
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD —— The Town Council this week received an update on Wakefield’s efforts to comply with a state mandate under Chapter 40A to increase multifamily zoning around public transit stations in MBTA communities.
Wakefield’s Community and Economic Development Director Erin Kokinda and Jim Hogan of the Planning Board reviewed the steps that have been taken thus far toward compliance, which must be achieved by the end of 2024.
The purpose of Monday’s meeting was to answer questions related to the local multifamily zoning district under consideration and solicit feedback from the Town Council, Kokinda said.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has passed a law, known as “Chapter 40A,” that requires MBTA communities to have at least one zoning district of reasonable size near public transit in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right.
Kokinda stressed that while the zoning is required to be in place, a multifamily zoning district does not guarantee additional development. Existing regulations, for example setbacks, can still be enforced.
To comply with the state law, these multifamily zoning districts must meet the following requirements:
- Support a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre.
- Minimum Size (based on 15 units/acre): 114 acres
- Be not more than a 1/2 mile from a commuter rail station
- Have no age restrictions
- Be suitable for families with children
- 10 percent maximum affordable units is allowable
- Minimum multi-family Unit Capacity: 1,696
- Minimum Land Area: 36 acres
Local site plan approval is allowed for the MBTA Overlay District. The site plan approval process can review proposed architecture, vehicular access and screening, etc.
Kokinda talked about the local working group that has been developing a plan to get Wakefield to compliance with the state mandate under Chapter 40A. That working group includes Town Councilor Julie Smith Galvin, Jim Hogan and Matt Lowry of the Planning Board, Greg McIntosh of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Robin Greenberg of the Environmental Sustainability Committee, Kokinda and Wakefield resident Matt Bown.
Their process has included mapping out potential zoning areas to achieve compliance and inputting GIS data from potential zoning areas into the ‘Compliance Model’ provided by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
Hogan noted that the impetus for this mandate is the state’s belief that it is 200,000 housing units short in terms of meeting projected housing needs.
He said that the goal is to have a plan in place by the spring of 2024 to ensure that Wakefield will be in compliance by the end of next year, as required.
Hogan explained that the working group looked at the possibility of creating the zoning district around the Greenwood commuter rail station, but decided against it because the density per lot would need to be higher than they felt was appropriate for the neighborhood.
Instead, the group focused on the area around the North Avenue commuter rail station. Hogan pointed out three specific neighborhoods within that area that the working group felt would be sufficient to bring the town into compliance with the law but noted that the group also looked at including a couple of areas around the MBTA bus line as well.
As an aside, Hogan said that the working group had also discussed the possibility of increasing the residential density allowed by right around the Greenwood station as a matter of local policy, separate and apart from the Chapter 40A state mandate.
Kokinda outlined what could happen if the town does not comply with the state mandate. An MBTA community that does not comply would not be eligible for funding from the Housing Choice Initiative, the Local Capital Projects Fund, the MassWorks Infrastructure Program and other discretionary state grants. She noted that Wakefield has received $3.6 million from these programs over the past three years.
Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio pointed out that this law was passed over the objections of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
Town Councilor Julie Smith-Galvin stressed the importance of explaining everything to the community in such a way as to make sure it passes at Town Meeting in the spring of 2024.
Councilor Edward Dombroski described Chapter 40A as “an odd unfunded mandate” that amounts to a “one-size-fits-all” requirement for all 175 MBTA communities in the state.
He stressed that the town should do no more than what is necessary to comply.
Council Michael McLane agreed and said that he was also not in favor of adding additional neighborhoods beyond what is required for compliance.
Councilor Ann Danehy echoed the points made by Dombroski and McLane in terms of going no further than necessary to comply with the mandate.