Zoning Changes Approved to Comply with MBTA Housing Law
Town designates 50 acres for potential multi-family housing development, strategically choosing sites to make construction challenging
RAYNHAM - May 19 - Raynham Town Meeting voters approved a zoning bylaw change Monday night that designates 50 acres for potential multi-family housing development, complying with a state mandate while strategically selecting parcels that officials believe will be difficult to develop.
The measure, Article 36, passed by a simple majority vote after extensive discussion about the town's options and the potential consequences of non-compliance with the state's multi-family housing requirements.
Town Administrator Gregory Barnes explained that communities failing to comply with the state mandate could face significant consequences.
"There are two major implications," Barnes said. "First of all, the number of our discretionary grants could be vulnerable. We either could not qualify, or we would rank much lower in those grants."
Barnes noted that Raynham received $1.25 million in discretionary grants in 2023 and $807,025 in 2024, with approximately $7.67 million in large grants currently pending or planned.
"The second implication is the Attorney General of the state has indicated they will be suing, taking court action against communities that do not comply," Barnes added.
The Planning Board selected two areas totaling 50 acres for the multi-family housing overlay district: land that includes Walmart properties and the Stone Forge restaurant on Route 44, and a parcel across from Walmart on Route 138 that includes O'Reilly Auto Parts. These locations were deliberately chosen because they would be challenging to develop.
"These parcels were chosen because the very first parcel of land was a 50-acre lot that was completely undeveloped," Robert Iafrate, Building Commissioner, said. "So to have this high barrier of entry on the Walmarts, it was much, much better."
Iafrate noted that the sites would require developers to purchase existing businesses before any multi-family housing could be built, creating significant obstacles to development.
"These two locations make it very, very difficult, most difficult out of any parcel that we've talked about in town for a developer to develop these parcels. And that's why they were chosen," Iafrate said.
State Representative Dennis Gallagher, who represents Raynham, confirmed that approving the article would put the town in compliance with state requirements.
"This vote tonight would put you in compliance, provided that it meets what the state is requiring of all the municipalities to put together this zoning," Gallagher said.
Several residents expressed concerns about the proposal. One resident worried that including Stone Forge and O'Reilly's in the designated areas could lead to those properties being purchased and developed.
"My fear is that anybody could buy O'Reilly's, anybody could buy Stone Forge, any developer. And that's what stays with me," the resident said. "We cannot deal with any more markets in this town."
Another resident raised environmental concerns about potential development near the town's water supply.
"We get our water supply from right here," the resident said. "If they put up that housing, that's going to make the area even more polluted."
Other residents spoke in support of the measure, recognizing the town's limited options.
"It sounds to me like we've done our very best here to choose the most difficult parcels to be developed on in town," said Rachel Anderson. "It sounds like the planning that's been done has made this the most difficult place for them to possibly construct these apartments."
Selectman Joseph Pacheco emphasized that the town was being compelled to comply with state law.
"We put this proposal forward not because any of us want to, we're doing it because the state has mandated it," Pacheco said. "We are again being compelled to do this."
Pacheco noted that while there's no guarantee that housing would be built on the designated parcels, the town needed to comply with state requirements. He pointed out that both Walmart locations in Raynham are among the busiest in New England and have recently undergone multi-million dollar renovations, making redevelopment unlikely.
If developed to maximum capacity, the designated areas could potentially accommodate up to 764 housing units, though officials stressed that actual development is unlikely given the barriers created by the current use of the properties.
The state law requires Raynham to comply because it is contiguous to communities with MBTA stations, specifically Middleborough and Taunton.
In other business, Town Meeting voters approved several other articles, including renaming the Board of Selectmen as the Select Board, reducing the Finance Committee from seven to five members, and authorizing a 99-year lease of the South School building to a nonprofit organization. Voters also approved placing a Proposition 2.5 override question on the ballot to fund the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District budget, which would add $637 annually to the tax bill of an average $590,000 home if approved by voters.
Watch the complete Town Meeting courtesy of the Raynham Channel.
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