Sudbury Approves MBTA Communities Zoning Changes: Town Meeting 2024

SUDBURY, MA — Sudbury Town Meeting on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved zoning changes connected to the new MBTA Communities zoning law.

The 104-19 vote Tuesday means that Sudbury will rezone portions of the town to make it possible to build more dense housing. The MBTA Communities zoning law is a state initiative aimed at stimulating housing production near transit, but does not require communities to actually build housing.

Sudbury's approval, however, likely won't mean an increase in multifamily housing. The town created zoning overlay districts to comply with the law that cover the Meadow Walk and Cold Brook Crossing area — both existing dense housing developments along the Boston Post Road and Route 117, respectively.

Under the MBTA law, towns like Sudbury that are adjacent to communities with MBTA stations — like Framingham, Concord and Lincoln — have to create new multifamily housing zones. The law has proven controversial in some communities. This week, Marblehead Town Meeting voted against zoning changes. Milton voters overturned that town's new zoning districts, spurring state officials to revoke grants to the town. Attorney General Andrea Campbell is also suing the town, which is served by the Mattapan Trolley, over the vote.

In recent days, Auburn, Acton, Westwood, Medfield, Tyngsborough, Walpole and Littleton have adopted new zoning districts.