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MBTA Communities Multi-family Requirements

MBTA Communities Zoning Law

An Act Enabling Partnerships for Growth, also known as the Economic Development Bill, was signed into law on January 14, 2021.  It added a new Section 3A to the Zoning Act (Chapter 40A of Mass. General Laws), which requires MBTA communities, as defined by compliance guidelines issued by the MA Department of Housing and Community Development in August 2022, to have at least one zoning district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted by-right.

The Town of Northborough is one of 175 Massachusetts communities impacted by this new law.  Classified as an “MBTA Adjacent Community”, Northborough does not host a commuter rail station within its borders but abuts a community that does (the Town of Westborough).   As such, the multi-family district must have the following characteristics:

  • It must be a minimum of 50 acres, half of which must be contiguous land;
  • Multi-family dwellings must be allowed at a minimum gross density of 15 units/acre;
  • The units must be suitable for families with children;
  • The district should be near an existing downtown, village center or area of underutilized/abandoned structures with redevelopment potential.

The deadline for compliance with the new law is December 31, 2024.   Failure to comply will make Northborough ineligible for certain state grants and at risk of civil enforcement action under federal and state fair marketing laws.    

Below are links to more information about the MBTA Communities Zoning Law and Northborough’s activities to date.  Please reach out to the Planning Department with any questions and comments.   We will try to update this page regularly as new information becomes available.

Northborough-Related Documents:

Resources and Technical Assistance: