WAKEFIELD — The Town Council 40A Subcommittee is conducting a survey to determine the public’s preferred location for a new district, if one is desired.
The subcommittee and senior planner have explored various options for your consideration. Your input is essential to developing a well-received proposal for the 2024 Fall Town Meeting.
In 2021, the State enacted legislation requiring communities served by the MBTA to create a district permitting multi-family housing by right in proximity to transit. The details of the regulations can be found in Section 3A of M.G.L.c. 40A. It is commonly referred to as MBTA Communities Act. Each municipality is required to create their own district(s) that meet the criteria of 3A or face legal action for non-compliance and potentially lose access to grant monies from the State. Compliance for Wakefield must be completed by December 31, 2024.
Town Meeting voted in the spring of 2024 to reject the two proposed districts and their accompanying zoning bylaws, (one put forward by the Planning Board and the other a citizen petition).
Although Town Meeting rejected the two bylaws and areas presented at Town Meeting this spring, Wakefield has until the end of December 2024 to submit a new bylaw and district(s) to the state. As such, the Town Council formed a subcommittee to work with constituents to create a new map and accompanying bylaw to present at Fall Town Meeting 2024.
The goal of the survey is to gain insight on where the public would like to have a district, if any. There are a multitude of different ways to achieve compliance. The town’s senior planner has been working hard to research potential options for your review. Your input is critical in ensuring the presentation of a palatable option at Town meeting.
The survey asks the taker about ethnicity, gender, age, the length of time you’ve lived in town, a description of your household makeup (children under 18, seniors over 65, etc.), whether you are supportive of the town being in compliance with the MBTA Communities Law, how dense you’d like to see the multi-family zoning district, ranking the importance of things like public transit, walking distance to pedestrian amenities, close to highways, affordable units, mixed use and other issues.
Make your voice heard! Take the survey to share your thoughts. You can find it under “News” on the first page of the town’s website — wakefield.ma.us
You have until August 9 to participate.
For more information, visit www.wakefield.ma.us/mbta-zoning. Don’t hesitate to contact the subcommittee’s staff at mbta3a@wakefield.ma.us with any questions.
