Woburn council adopts MBTA Communities overlay, citing risk to state grants and infrastructure needs

The Woburn City Council voted Oct. 15 to adopt an MBTA Communities non–age‑restricted multifamily overlay district, moving the city toward state-required zoning changes tied to grant eligibility. Councilor DeMearns moved adoption of the ordinance as amended to replace the affordability section with language recommended in consultant Jeff Davis’s Oct. 4 memo; the motion passed by roll call.

Mayor Michael Conkannon told the council the change was driven in part by a risk to grant funding. “There are real grant funding opportunities at risk,” he said, noting two recent awards — a $100,000 Housing Choice grant and a $115,000 site‑readiness award — that require compliance before the city can receive funds. Director Cashel and consultant Jeff Davis had worked with state officials to craft language the executive office would accept, Cashel said.

The council debated the overlay’s affordability component at length. Director Cashel described tradeoffs in the consultant memo: while the statute does not itself set an affordability percentage, the recommended text would allow a maximum affordable set‑aside of 20 percent subject to an economic analysis, with the potential to be reduced to 15 or 10 percent depending on the state review. Council opponents said the thresholds risked producing units that local residents cannot afford; supporters pointed to the need to retain state funding and to begin planning for infrastructure.

The proposal drew sustained public comment. Neighbors and residents urged caution about density, school impacts and traffic; some speakers called for further negotiations with the state to secure infrastructure funding or reduce density. Other residents and councilors said the overlay would activate underused land near the Anderson regional transit center and could unlock state resources for long‑range planning. Multiple councilors emphasized the need to press state officials for infrastructure support if the overlay led to new development.

The motion to adopt replaced the affordability section with the language recommended in Jeff Davis’s memo and passed on a roll call vote with a majority in favor and one recorded opposition. Council documents and the consultant memo will be forwarded to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for review as part of the state compliance process.

Council members said next steps include coordinating with state agencies on potential infrastructure funding and continuing local planning work for the Anderson area. The council adopted the ordinance at the Oct. 15 meeting and recorded a roll call vote; the city clerk will transmit the ordinance and supporting materials to the state for review.