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Town planner outlines public outreach as Foxborough prepares to meet MBTA Communities deadline
Summary
Katherine, Foxboroughs town planner, told the Select Board Aug. 13 she will lead a public engagement campaign to produce two MBTA Communities district options and try to meet the state's year-end compliance deadline; meetings begin tomorrow evening at 6 p.m.
Katherine, the town planner, told the Select Board on Aug. 13 that Foxborough must rework a previously defeated MBTA Communities zoning district to satisfy a state requirement enacted in 2021 and to preserve access to certain state grants.
"This is a requirement coming down from the state," Katherine said, describing the laws multifamily zoning mandate near commuter-rail stations and the towns need to produce a compliant district. She said the town will pursue community-centered outreach and hopes to present two district options for town meeting consideration.
Why it matters: compliance affects the towns eligibility and competitiveness for state infrastructure and planning funds. Katherine told the board that failing to adopt a compliant district could reduce the towns ability to secure those funds.
What the town will do: Katherine said the first public meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at 6 p.m., and that staff will hold sessions on the second and fourth Wednesdays through October. She described a plan to "meet people wherever they are," including library events and evening sessions, and to show maps illustrating which parcels fall within a half-mile of the commuter rail station, the key metric for the MBTA Communities formula.
Timing and legal context: the planner noted a tight timeline, saying the towns goal is to agree on a compliant district before the end of the calendar year. Board members asked about the pending Milton court matter and whether town counsel should brief potential consequences; Katherine confirmed counsel will attend upcoming meetings to advise on legal implications.
Sites and stakeholder engagement: board members noted that a large share of developable land within the half-mile is owned by the Craft group; Katherine said the town should prioritize resident input first and, after neighborhoods have been heard, consider engaging major landowners in late September or early October.
Next steps: public meetings beginning tomorrow will gather broad feedback; the planner said staff aim to deliver two draft district options for planning-board review and eventual presentation at the Nov. 18 special town meeting if residents endorse an option.
The Select Board did not take a final vote on any district at the Aug. 13 meeting; Katherine emphasized outreach and mapping work to inform later decisions.
