Newton Passes Upzoning to Comply With MBTA Communities Act

The Newton, Massachusetts city council passed a rezoning ordinance aimed at increasing housing production, reports Tréa Lavery in Mass Live. The ordinance permits multifamily housing in certain areas and increases allowable building height.

As Lavery explains, “While the city’s plan goes above the requirements of a new state law that forced Newton to make the changes which had been discussed for a few years, it is a scaled-back version of the original proposal brought to the City Council, and was seen by many as a necessary compromise.” The 2021 MBTA Communities Act requires Massachusetts towns to zone for multifamily housing near transit. “While state approval is needed for the city’s compliance with the MBTA Communities Act, the ordinance will still go into effect regardless of the state decision.”

The new plan, known as the Village Center Overlay District (VCOD), permits multifamily housing in some of the city’s 13 ‘village centers.’ “The original proposal would have targeted all 13 village centers, but the final plan passed Monday focuses only on six, Newton Centre, Newton Highlands, Waban, West Newton, Newtonville and Auburndale, encompassing just over 3% of the city’s total land area.”