AG Campbell threatens authorized action in opposition to Milton about zoning legislation

AG Campbell threatens authorized action in opposition to Milton about zoning legislation

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Milton handed a zoning bylaw adjust to comply with the point out law, but a petition will bring the choice to a city-extensive vote upcoming month.

AG Campbell threatens authorized action in opposition to Milton about zoning legislation
The Mattapan Trolley trundles alongside the Neponset River Greenway Path. If not for the Mattapan Trolley’s transient foray by means of a small corner of Milton, the town would not have to contend with the state’s new zoning needs for housing in communities served by the MBTA. Lane Turner/World Staff

Massachusetts Legal professional Normal Andrea Campbell has set the City of Milton on see, saying that if they are still not in compliance with the MBTA Communities Act right after a town-extensive vote upcoming thirty day period, the state will take authorized motion to enforce the law.

On Dec. 11, a Milton Specific Town Conference authorized a zoning bylaw transform to make their neighborhood compliant with the state’s MBTA Communities Act, a 2021 legislation that calls for communities close to transit lines to improve zoning to let for more multifamily units. The historic vote marked the most sizeable transform to the town’s zoning bylaws in extra than 100 several years.

However, a petition will set the zoning transform to voters at significant on Feb. 13. The Milton Neighbors for Responsible Zoning, who gathered 3,000 signatures for the petition, want to challenge Milton’s designation as a immediate transit group. The team is advocating to vote no on Report 1.

If the referendum passes, Milton will be the previous quick transit group to comply with the MBTA Communities Act. As of now, they are the only town to skip the conclusion-of-the-12 months compliance deadline, which Brookline fulfilled in November.

“It is further than query that the Commonwealth faces a housing crisis, which is a crucial variable in the state’s exceptionally substantial expense of residing. Our restricted housing supply is also a significant impediment to the financial expansion that is wanted to keep our communities robust,” Campbell wrote to the city on Jan. 16. 

The Town of Milton informed the state’s Executive Business of Housing and Livable Communities on Jan. 10 that their compliance would depend on the effects of the city-vast vote.

What happens if Milton does not comply?

In a former letter, the EOHLC acknowledged Milton’s endeavours to comply with the act, including doing work with the office to acquire zoning designs ahead of the December Unique City Meeting. 

The EOHLC also outlined consequence of noncompliance such as the incapacity to obtain MassWorks, HousingWorks, and Housing Selection grants, which Campbell’s letter to Milton referenced.

“As EOHLC has expressed clearly to the Town, Milton’s eligibility for a extensive selection of point out funding will be impacted if the Town rejects compliance with the MBTA Communities Act,” Campbell wrote. “Should the City chart a class in contravention of point out regulation, having said that, the Attorney General’s Office environment will have out its accountability to enforce the law, without having hesitation.”