TOWN OF LITTLETON VOTERS SET THE EXAMPLE BY REJECTING BOGUS SO-CALLED ‘MBTA COMMUNITIES MULTI-FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT’

Let’s have a round of applause for the Town of Littleton voters who, at their 1 November 2023 Special Town Meeting, rejected the attempted tyrannical State cram-down of a bogus so-called ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Zoning District.”

SEE  Littleton Town Meeting rejects MBTA Communities article (lowellsun.com)

Meanwhile, thousands of Town of Milton voters signed Petitions forcing the attempt to implement bogus so-called ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Zoning Districts’ there to a Town-wide election scheduled for 13 February 2024.

SEE  Milton voters to decide on zoning proposal (bostonglobe.com)

Town of Milton voters irate at the attempted State MBTA zoning cram-down established a website. Here is the link:  https://www.mnrz.org/mbta-zoning.html

Unlike Littleton and Milton, Sterling does not have any transit stop or terminal referred to in Mass.Gen.Laws Ch. 40A, Section 3A–

“(a)

(1) An MBTA community shall have a zoning ordinance or by-law that provides for at least 1 district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right; provided, however, that such multi-family housing shall be without age restrictions and shall be suitable for families with children. For the purposes of this section, a district of reasonable size shall: (i) have a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre, subject to any further limitations imposed by section 40 of chapter 131 and title 5 of the state environmental code established pursuant to section 13 of chapter 21A; and (ii) be located not more than 0.5 miles from a commuter rail station, subway station, ferry terminal or bus station, if applicable.

(b)

An MBTA community that fails to comply with this section shall not be eligible for funds from: (i) the Housing Choice Initiative as described by the governor in a message to the general court dated December 11, 2017; (ii) the Local Capital Projects Fund established in section 2EEEE of chapter 29; (iii) the MassWorks infrastructure program established in section 63 of chapter 23A, or (iv) the HousingWorks infrastructure program established in section 27 of chapter 23B.

(c)

The executive office of housing and livable communities, in consultation with the executive office of economic development, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, shall promulgate guidelines to determine if an MBTA community is in compliance with this section.”

–– and does NOT have any land within 0.5 miles of any such transit stop or terminal. Therefore, the Town of Sterling is EXEMPT from Ch. 40A, Section 3A.

However, that fact has not prevented self-serving weasel developer “Conflict of Interest Carl” Corrinne and gutless Sterling Planning Board sheep from seeking to put bogus ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Zoning District’ Articles on the May 2024 Sterling Annual Town Meeting Warrant.

SEE  pb_agenda_-_november_16_2023.pdf (sterling-ma.gov)  OF COURSE, “Conflict of Interest Carl” Corrinne stands to profit from building multi-family housing units.

When the May 2024 Sterling Annual Town Meeting rolls around Sterling voters need to show up en masse and vote to protect Sterling’s resources and rural character by decisively voting down any and all such bogus ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Zoning Districts’ Warrant Articles.

J.G.