Dedham’s new multi-family zoning plan to comply with the 2021 MBTA Communities Law has officially been approved by the state. The Town received notice from Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) Secretary Ed Augustus on September 30, 2024 determining that Dedham is in full compliance with the law. The law requires towns and cities to support transit-oriented development (TOD), which is a strategy to create a mixture of housing, office, and retail in a walkable neighborhood within close range of public transportation.
The MBTA Communities Law was created to help address the Commonwealth’s housing shortage and traffic problems, challenges which put local economies at risk and have raised housing prices out of reach of many working- and middle-class families. A total of 177 Commonwealth communities are subject to the requirements of the law. The law requires MBTA communities to establish “by-right” multi-family zoning no more than half a mile from a commuter rail station, ferry terminal, or bus station. The zoning districts must have no age restrictions and be suitable for families with children. Dedham is designated as a “Commuter Rail Community” due to its existing MBTA Dedham Corporate and Endicott commuter rail stations.
“Dedham’s road to compliance was a thorough and transparent planning process that received almost unanimous approval by Town Meeting in 2023,” said Planning Board Chair John Bethoney. “On behalf of the Planning Board, I applaud the community for successfully coming together to craft compliant multifamily zoning for Dedham.”
The EOHLC’s determination of compliance culminates in a three-year process for the Town. Leading up to Town Meeting approval in May 2023, almost two years of research and discussion occurred, including two joint meetings of the Planning Board and Select Board, multiple meetings with the Town’s legal counsel, an in-depth analysis and report by outside consultants, and several Planning Board meetings to discuss Dedham’s options. Throughout, the number one priority was to determine if there was a way to comply with the legislation that would not change the character of Dedham’s neighborhoods.
The legislation requires that the multi-family housing zone be primarily located within half a mile of a MBTA commuter rail station, and that, based on Dedham’s population, the zone has the capacity to contain 1,569 residential units (apartments, condominiums, or townhouses.) The Planning Board guided the consultants to focus on the area surrounding the MBTA Dedham Corporate Center Station for several reasons: that area is not only close to public transit but also close to I-95, it has shopping nearby to maximize the benefits of transit-oriented development and minimize traffic impacts; and there are already 1,147 residential units built or permitted (slated to be built) in that area.
“Housing plays a critical role in creating sustainability and resiliency in our community,” said Planning Board Vice-Chair Jessica Porter. “The Planning Board will continue to work on meeting the Town’s housing needs and addressing housing affordability for Dedham residents of all ages”.
For more information on the MBTA Communities Law, visit the Commonwealth’s website: www.mass.gov/mbtacommunities
For more information on the Town of Dedham’s Planning Board MBTA Communities Law process, visit the Town’s MBTA Communities page.
