MBTA Communities Information

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Updated May 16, 2024 @ 9:57 am

NEW 5/14/2024 - Belmont's consultant for MBTA Communities zoning Utile Architecture and Planning made a presentation in front of the Planning Board. Please see link to presentation HERE.

4/18/2024 - The MBTA Communities Advisory Committee made its final report to the Select Board on 4/18/2024 and was formally dissolved. This website will serve as an ongoing archive of the work of the Committee and MBTA Communities resources for the public. Please also see a dedicated project page on the Planning Board site HERE.

4/1/2024 - The MBTA Communities Advisory Committee voted 6-1 to adopt a single map scenario for MBTA Communities zoning at their meeting of 4/1/2024. Currently this map is being vetted by consultant Utile through the Compliance Model and zoning specifics will emerge shortly.

QUICK LINKS

• Committee Adopted Map  |  Committee Report for Planning Board
• Complete Map Series (Map E12a on p. 33 is the adopted map)
• Citizen Comment Form (comments will be posted on the comments page here)
• Glossary of Terms
• Frequently Asked Questions (frequently updated)

The Committee

The MBTA Communities Advisory Committee was established by the Select Board as a Committee to advise the Select and Planning Boards on M.G.L c. 40A Section 3A (the Zoning Act) that requires an MBTA community to have at least 1 zoning district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing (three or more units on a single site) is permitted "as-of-right". Belmont is considered a Commuter Rail Community and according to the 2020 Census, the town currently has 10,882 housing units. This means that to comply with Section 3A, Belmont must establish one (or more) as-of-right zoning districts that total at least 28 acres and have a zoned capacity for 1,632 units. The Committee was composed of the members listed below and while active met as much as 2-4 times a month. 

Committee Members