Woburn planning board backs MBTA 3A overlay, urges council to seek higher affordable share

WOBURN, Mass. — The Woburn City Planning Board voted unanimously Aug. 13 to send a favorable recommendation to the City Council for a proposed MBTA non–age-restricted multifamily overlay district covering roughly 54 acres east of the rail line, while urging the council to press for recognition of an underlying overlay’s 25% affordable-housing component.

Planning director John (planning board director) told the board the draft ordinance, prepared with the city engineering GIS program and dated June 13, 2024, designates 54 acres that meet the state’s MBTA 3A minimum (50 acres for Woburn) and could “theoretically” accommodate 2,631 multifamily units under the draft density rules. He cautioned the overlay “does not prohibit” other permitted uses and said the planning board would be the site-plan approving authority for MBTA-overlay projects rather than the City Council.

The statutory framework and state guidelines were central to the discussion. “When this came out of the State House … it didn't have one word, not one word, of requiring affordable housing,” John said, describing subsequent guideline revisions that allow a community with existing affordable housing to impose up to 10% affordable units under MBTA 3A. He and board members noted that requiring more than 10% — for example recognizing a preexisting 25% affordable standard in an underlying overlay district — would require approval from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and could be appealed by a developer.

Board members pressed staff on details. One member asked whether potential MBTA development at Anderson Station had been counted; John confirmed the overlay and the capacity figures include Anderson. Another member asked why recent multifamily projects (for example parcels on New Boston Street) were not counted toward the 3A requirement; John said the statute and current guidance do not permit credit for previously permitted or already-built units.

After no public speakers appeared during the hearing, Claudia moved to close the public hearing and the board voted to close it. The planning director then recommended the board send a favorable review of the ordinance to the City Council and include in its recommendation that the council recognize the underlying overlay’s 25% affordable target. Claudia moved to accept the director’s recommendation, Dave seconded, and the board voted unanimously to forward the recommendation.

The board’s action is advisory: the City Council will conduct its own review and the state’s executive office must approve any requirement that exceeds the 10% baseline in the current guidelines. Director John noted the statutory compliance deadline for Woburn is Dec. 31, 2024, and said the council and staff will continue work on exact language to balance the city’s affordable-housing goals with the state guidance.

Next steps: the recommendation will go to the City Council for further deliberation and the executive office at the state level would review any request to require more than 10% affordable units under MBTA 3A.