Marshfield residents have voiced their will, rejecting a rezoning proposition that aimed to align the town with the state's MBTA Communities Act, which necessitates more multifamily housing near transit hubs. Despite a decisive 169-289 vote against the measure during a Special Town Meeting on Monday night, Attorney General Andrea Campbell has signaled that the door remains open for the town to change its stance before the year’s end, as reported by The Patriot Ledger.
While residents of Marshfield oppose the state encroaching upon their local zoning decisions, the law demands they comply by December 31, 2024, to avert legal and financial fallout. Nearby Milton, having bucked the mandate with a resident vote in February, is already feeling the heat from the state, losing grant funding and facing a lawsuit. Marshfield Town Counsel Robert Galvin shared with The Patriot Ledger, "I did offer the points of view espoused by many, that the state was overbearing in acting to require this where the town has made significant progress towards affordable housing." Despite the vote, Marshfield faces no immediate legal threat from Campbell’s office, which has opted to delay action pending the town's final compliance decision.
Attorney General Campbell, however, has praised the town for its preliminary attempts to meet the law's criteria. "I applaud Marshfield's officials for taking proactive steps toward compliance well before their deadline and encourage the town to consider another MBTA Communities zoning article, at another town meeting prior to the end of the year," Campbell said, in a statement obtained by NBC Boston. The Attorney General also reaffirmed her office's readiness to assist Marshfield and other towns in achieving compliance by their required deadline.
Conversely, proponents of the rezoning underscore its importance in cultivating additional housing and combating the inflated prices that strain Massachusetts families. Approximately 35 other communities in proximity to MBTA service have enacted zoning changes in accordance with the MBTA Communities Act, showing a divide between municipalities in addressing the state's housing crisis. Milton's standoff with the state, having already resulted in punitive measures and legal battles, underscores the stakes at play as the ultimate deadline looms for Marshfield and others like it.
