By Joe Stewart

At its July 8 meeting, Wrentham’s Select Board discussed next steps to meet state requirements relating to the MBTA Communities Act. The purpose of the law is to increase housing throughout the state, and the law requires communities to implement zoning to enable high density housing. In Wrentham’s case, the law requires zoning for a minimum of 50 acres.  

Wrentham has opposed complying with the law, including bringing a lawsuit asserting that MBTA Communities was an unfunded mandate. That suit was dismissed in June with the judge ruling that Wrentham had failed to identify direct costs.

During the Select Board meeting, Select Board member Bill Harrington read into the record the Select Board’s statement issued following the suit’s dismissal. The statement included that the Select Board “... has determined that the most prudent and cost-effective option is to move forward…” To that end, Gallo began the discussion by commenting that the Board is now supporting the high-density zoning and will need to educate voters.  Gallo reminded the Board of Town Counsel Jay Talerman’s comment that “Any rush is a rush to failure.” 

Town Manager Mike King noted that the Fall Town Meeting would be the next scheduled meeting at which voters could assess the new zoning. King also noted that Wrentham is speaking with the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, the Attorney General’s office, and the Governor’s office. King also noted the need for significant voter education.

Gallo asked about the July 14 compliance deadline, particularly to address concerns that some voters raised about the potential appointment of a special master (appointed by a court to assist in overseeing contested matters), the possible loss of state grants, and other coercive measures available to the state to achieve compliance with the law. King confirmed that Wrentham is actively engaged with the state and agreed that those measures are unlikely.

On July 15 the Attorney General stated in a press release, “Recognizing that the local legislative process to adopt zoning by-laws and ordinances involves multiple steps that take time to complete, the AGO [Attorney General’s Office] does not plan [to] take legal action this summer or fall…”

Gallo summarized next steps as educating voters on the high-density zoning and continuing to collaborate with the Planning Board to bring the issue to voters at the Fall Town Meeting, scheduled for November 17 at the King Philip Regional High School. The Select Board statement is available at http://bit.ly/40hCDHo.