MBTA Communities Act Defeated By Millbury

Today, on Saturday, November 9, 2024, Millbury held its special town meeting. One of the key items on the warrant was Article 8, a proposed zoning amendment to comply with the MBTA Communities Act. The article faced an overwhelming defeat with minimal debate.

Town Planner Conor McCormack gave a brief presentation, followed by a few comments from residents. Steve Stearns, a vocal opponent of the MBTA Communities Act, provided the most detailed remarks on the implications of the zoning amendments. He highlighted concerns over the town planner's alleged "bait-and-switch" tactics on the warrant article, raised issues about Home Rule, discussed ongoing lawsuits against the MBTA Communities Act, and addressed misinformation regarding grants. Steve Stearns urged registered voters to reject the warrant article, receiving a round of applause for his statements.

The town warrant article was defeated by an overwhelming majority, well over two-thirds. The vote wasn’t even close, despite only requiring a simple majority to pass.

Now we’ll await the Supreme Court's decisions on the class-action lawsuits filed by the Town of Milton and residents of Rockport against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A group of Millbury residents, the largest representation from any single community, is part of the Rockport class-action lawsuit. Several communities’ residents are represented in the class-action lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law, which is not costing the communities any tax dollars as it is residents involved, not municipalities.

To clarify our position, as there has been some misunderstanding: we are not opposed to multifamily or affordable housing. Our objective is to advocate for responsible and sustainable housing that remains truly affordable for local residents without displacing those already part of our community.