CommonWealth Magazine: "Where should new multi-family housing go?" (part 4 of 5)

"WHERE SHOULD new multifamily housing go? This is a fundamental question facing 175 communities across eastern Massachusetts as they work to implement a new law intended to address the region’s housing shortage. The MBTA Communities law requires cities and towns served by Greater Boston’s public transit agency, the MBTA, to enact zoning that allows multifamily housing near transit.

If history is any indication, communities will seek to locate this new multi-family housing away from existing residential neighborhoods when possible. In recent decades, the largest portion of new housing in Greater Boston has been built in isolated areas on municipal and metropolitan peripheries. As an example, the town of Wellesley approved the construction of a 262-unit complex called The Nines on a spit of land separated from the rest of town, tucked between Routes 95 and 9 and the Charles River. The towns of Needham and Stoneham permitted similar “across the interstate” developments, and other examples abound."

Part 4 of the 5 part series

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/where-should-new-multi-family-housing-go/

Part 3   

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/seeking-predictable-permitting-for-new-housing/

Part 2 

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/solving-the-mbta-communities-zoning-puzzle/

Part 1

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/01/commonwealth-magazine-understanding-new.html

Residential construction in Waltham, MA. (Photo by Amy Dain)

MBTA Commuter Rail: A Franklin/Foxboro Line schedule change is starting January 23, 2023

Monday, January 23, 2023 - a new Franklin/Foxboro Line schedule will go into effect. This schedule adjustment will prevent train conflicts between Readville & South Station after the opening of Pawtucket station (Prov Line) and offer improved on-time performance. For more information: https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/media/route_pdfs/2023-01-03-cr-franklin-foxboro-fall-winter-schedule.pdf Last Updated: Jan 04 2023 11:03 AM MBTA Franklin Line Schedules ->   https://www.mbta.com/schedules/CR-Franklin/timetable

MBTA Commuter Rail: A Franklin/Foxboro Line schedule change is starting January 23, 2023

CommonWealth Magazine: "Solving the MBTA Communities zoning puzzle" (part 2 of 5)

"IN 2021, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts adopted the MBTA Communities zoning law requiring municipalities served by the MBTA to zone districts “of reasonable size” for multi-family housing at a “gross density” of 15 dwelling units per acre. The law applies to 175 cities and towns. Some may already have zoning that meets the requirements. For most of the municipalities, compliance will involve local legislative votes, at town meetings and city councils.

In the process of local reform, thousands of public officials, constituents, and advocates will have to become familiar with the law’s novel, complicated, and flexible concept of gross density. I am writing this article to give people a head-start in understanding it."

Part 2 of the 5 part series 

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/solving-the-mbta-communities-zoning-puzzle/

Part 1

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/01/commonwealth-magazine-understanding-new.html

Multi-family development in Winchester, MA. (Photo by Amy Dain.)

CommonWealth Magazine: "Understanding the new concept of zoning capacity"

The first of a five part series by CommonWealth Magazine on the MBTA community zoning changes underway in Franklin (and elsewhere). The Economic Development Subcommittee is leading this effort which is active. 

Any proposed changes got to the full Town Council for referral to the Planning Board before coming back for discussion and vote to approve. There is plenty of time for asking questions or providing input but the time is NOW. 

"THERE IS A NEW concept in zoning, invented this year by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In promulgated guidelines, the concept has been dubbed “minimum multi-family unit capacity.” I refer to the concept as “zoning capacity.”

If you live in a community served by the MBTA, the concept may soon animate discussions at your town or city hall, or in local on-line forums, or between neighbors about how much multi-family housing the community should allow."

Continue reading the article online ->

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/what-the-mbta-communities-law-means-for-your-town/

The recent discussion between Town Councilors Melanie Hamblen and Cobi Frongillo is insightful on this topic. Listen here ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/12/downtown-zoning-discussion-with.html

examples of current Franklin housing from Cobi's bike ride around Franklin

Franklin Commuter Rail special for Saturday, Dec 31 (New Year’s Eve)

"On Saturday, December 31st, Franklin Line Train 1717 (10:55 PM from South Station) will be held at South Station until 12:35 AM to accommodate those attending New Year's Eve festivities in Boston."

Affected direction: Outbound

Affected trips:

1717 (10:55 pm from South Station)

-Travel on all Commuter Rail Lines will be free after 8:00 pm on Saturday, December 31st

-Bikes including folding bikes will not be allowed on inbound rains between 10 am and 6 pm and on all outbound trains from 4 pm until the end of service on that day.

Last Updated: Dec 27 2022 03:17 PM

Franklin Commuter Rail special for Saturday, Dec 31 (New Year’s Eve)

Complete MBTA schedule for Franklin

https://www.mbta.com/schedules/CR-Franklin/timetable

MBTA Community Webinar Series videos and materials available

All the session recordings and accompanying material can be found in one page

https://www.housingtoolbox.org/recorded-workshops-and-trainings/mbta-community-webinar-series

event recaps, materials, and more

Thank you for joining MHP's MBTA Community Webinar Series More Than Compliance: Multifamily Districts That Work in Your Community If you missed the webinar series or wanted to rewatch any of the sessions, recordings and all supporting materials are now available online. The series was held on 10 Wednesdays between Sept. 21 and Nov. 30. The focus was MBTA zoning and how communities can design districts that meet their unique needs. Topics covered include: Making the Case for Complete Neighborhoods Water and Wastewater Basics Complete Streets and Neighborhoods Encouraging Family-Friendly Housing Getting Started for MBTA Communities Exploring Housing at Different Densities Making the Case for Affordable Housing Siting Your District and Site Plan Review Including Affordability in Your MBTA District All Webinar Series Materials The series is part of MHP's Complete Neighborhoods Initiative, which supports the state's efforts to build more multifamily housing near transit, downtowns, jobs and services. Additional resources and trainings for MBTA communities will be rolled out regularly throughout the law's two-year compliance period. Don't forget to self-report CM credits! For interested AICP members, we have created a tip-sheet for this webinar series which provides information and guidance on the self-reporting process. More information about AICP's CM program can be found at www.planning.org/cm. Technical assistance will be provided in collaboration with Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Barr Foundation.

Massachusetts Housing Partnership | 160 Federal Street, Boston, MA 02110 Sent by emcgurren@mhp.net powered by Try email marketing for free today!

MBTA Commuter Rail Schedule Alert: a weekend schedule will run on both November 24 & 25

"The Commuter Rail will operate on a weekend schedule on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24th as well as on the following day, Friday, November 25th.

Buses will continue to replace weekend train service between Rockport and Beverly.

For more information: https://mbta.com/holidays

Last Updated: Nov 10 2022 03:41 PM "

The Franklin line schedule -> https://www.mbta.com/schedules/CR-Franklin/timetable

MBTA Commuter Rail Schedule Alert: a weekend schedule will run on both November 24 & 25

CommonWealth Magazine: ARPA funding for broadband expansion approved; is DPU proper agency for MBTA oversight; Sommerville's new municipal aggregation contract offers hope

"Massachusetts gets $145 million to expand broadband  
ARPA funding approved by White House"

"MASSACHUSETTS HAS BEEN awarded $145 million in federal money to expand broadband internet access, the White House announced Thursday. 

Jacob Leibenluft, US Treasury Chief Recovery Officer, said in a conference call with reporters that an estimated 16,000 Massachusetts locations, homes and businesses, will be connected to high-speed internet through these initiatives. That represents 27 percent of those in Massachusetts who still lack high-speed internet.  

Sen. Ed Markey, a longtime leader in Congress on telecommunications, said it is a “national tragedy” that people still lack access to high-speed internet, given how important connectivity is to modern life. “Massachusetts has cutting edge technological innovations, but we can still see the holes in the Berkshires, which is rural,” Markey said. “Black, brown, and immigrant families, they are left behind.” 

The money was allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act, part of a $10 billion Capital Projects Fund. The fund was intended to pay for projects that provide digital connectivity for people to participate in remote work, education, and health care, with a focus on broadband. "

Continue reading the article online -> 

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/economy/massachusetts-gets-145-million-to-expand-broadband/

Lawmakers question whether DPU is right for MBTA safety oversight

Agency officials blame most problems on difficulties in hiring

"TWO KEY Beacon Hill lawmakers on Thursday questioned whether the Department of Public Utilities is the right agency to hold the MBTA’s feet to the fire on safety issues.

At a legislative oversight hearing, the chair of the DPU and the head of the agency’s transportation oversight division acknowledged the arm of the agency that oversees the MBTA’s safety efforts is understaffed and has been understaffed for years.

The DPU, an agency known mostly for overseeing electric and gas utilities, is currently trying to double the size of the transportation division to roughly 14 people, and may need more employees. The Federal Transit Administration, in a recent safety inspection report, criticized the MBTA and the DPU’s transportation division.

“The division seems stuck,” said Sen. Michael Barrett of Lexington. “Safety seems to have been submerged, seriously, within the DPU.”

Continue reading the article online -> 

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/lawmakers-question-whether-dpu-is-right-for-mbta-safety-oversight/

"Somerville’s new electricity contract offers some hope"

(for those residents using municipal aggregation)

"SOMERVILLE THIS WEEK offered some hope to those worried about the high cost of electricity ever since National Grid said its basic service rate would be jumping to a record 33.9 cents per kilowatt hour on November 1.

The city said it signed a contract starting November 1 with Direct Energy that will provide electricity to residents at a much lower price — 14.9 cents a kilowatt hour for basic service, 15.7 cents a kilowatt hour for power with 20 percent more renewable energy, and 18.6 cents a kilowatt hour for all-renewable electricity.

Somerville’s contract will last two years, while National Grid’s rate will remain in place for only six months. A lot can happen over the next two years in energy markets, so locking a price in for that length of time carries some risk. But Somerville’s new rates suggest municipalities and individuals may be able to find some relief for soaring electricity prices by shopping around."

Continue reading the article online ->

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/somervilles-new-electricity-contract-offers-some-hope-2/

Franklin's Municipal aggregation information

https://www.franklinma.gov/administrator/pages/municipal-aggregation

Franklin's Municipal Aggregation program

Beyond Mobility, the Massachusetts 2050 Transportation Plan schedules a virtual public meeting for Oct 20 at 6 PM

Mass. Transportation (@MassDOT) tweeted Mon, Oct 03, 2022:

How should #Massachusetts invest in transportation in the future? 

Join #BeyondMobilityMA, the statewide 2050 transportation plan, for a virtual public meeting on 10/20, at 6 PM to learn more.

More info and to register visit: https://t.co/vV7lghP0js   or  https://www.mass.gov/beyond-mobility

"Beyond Mobility, the Massachusetts 2050 Transportation Plan, is a planning process that will result in a blueprint for guiding transportation decision-making and investments in Massachusetts in a way that advances MassDOT’s goals and maximizes the equity and resiliency of the transportation system. 

Your input is needed to help develop this vision. The process for developing Beyond Mobility is underway." 

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/MassDOT/status/1576980555383595009

GATRA, electrifying the MBTA, bringing the double track to Franklin, improving the handicap access to the Franklin/Dean station; all of these topics should be part of this planning process. Oh, and 2050 is the key as this is part of the climate roadmap.  For more about the climate roadmap, check out the podcast series on "Making Sense of Climate" 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

Beyond Mobility, the Massachusetts 2050 Transportation Plan schedules a virtual public meeting  for Oct 20 at 6 PM

MBTA Communities Zoning Guidelines Webinar - Sep 8 at 1 PM

The Baker-Polito Administration recently announced final guidelines outlining how MBTA communities can comply with the new multifamily zoning requirement. Learn more and register for an informational webinar on September 8: http://mass.gov/MBTAcommunities

Register for the webinar ->   https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KBSNAXLuR9yrnmklDPFx-g 

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/MassEOHED/status/1565428813999312896

Recall that the Mass Housing Partnership has a series of webinars on this topic (Wednesday's at noon) ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/09/massachusetts-housing-partnership.html

Franklin's statistics per MA EOHED calculation:

Franklin's statistics per MA EOHED calculation

MBTA Communities Zoning Guidelines Webinar - Sep 8 at 1 PM

Massachusetts Housing Partnership schedules webinar series on MBTA community housing guidelines

Via the Massachusetts Housing Partnership @mhphousing:

"Our webinar series on new MBTA community guidelines features experts on topics ranging from infrastructure basics to community engagement to messaging strategies. Sept. 21 kickoff: 9 consecutive Wednesdays.  

Registration is open. http://bit.ly/3T7Mfiz #HousingCrisis #housing"

Massachusetts Housing Partnership schedules webinar series on MBTA community housing guidelines

For more about the Massachusetts Housing Partnership visit their page ->

https://www.mhp.net/

Franklin MBTA Commuters: 2 notices to be aware of

1 - All Commuter Rail lines will operate on a weekend schedule on Labor Day, Monday September 5.

For more information: https://www.mbta.com/holidays

Last Updated: Aug 30 2022 02:20 PM

2 - Effective Monday, September 12, additional weekday trains will provide easy and direct service between Foxboro and South Station as part of the Foxboro Pilot.

For more information: https://mbta.com/foxboro

Last Updated: Aug 30 2022 02:18 PM 

 

Franklin MBTA Commuters: 2 notices to be aware of

"Until we feel we have an adequate level of staffing"

"T riders, be warned.

After months of slowdowns, shutdowns, and nearly unprecedented federal intervention, the MBTA said on Wednesday that summer service cuts on the Red, Blue, and Orange Lines are being extended into the fall. The transit agency also said Green Line service will be reduced and bus service will be trimmed further starting Aug. 28.

The moves mean T riders will have to endure more infrequent trains and buses just as students are starting classes and many workers are considering, or being required to make, a post-Labor Day return to downtown offices."

Continue reading the Boston Globe article online (subscription maybe required)   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/24/metro/subway-service-cuts-will-remain-place-through-fall-bus-service-be-further-reduced-t-says/ 

Orange line shut down guide ->  https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/19/metro/mbta-orange-line-shutdown-guide-shuttles-boston/

CommonWealth Magazine coverage ->    https://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/reduced-frequency-on-subways-will-continue-through-fall/

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak on the commuter rail platform at Ruggles Station. (Photo by Bruce Mohl)

MBTA: Upcoming service changes that might affect your travel

This weekend and next week, the following lines will have service changes:

View this email in your browser  Riders are no longer required to wear a mask while on the T, except for on The RIDE. The MBTA continues to follow CDC guidelines in encouraging people to wear face masks on public transit.  For the latest information about COVID-19 safety precautions, riders should check mbta.com/coronavirus. This weekend and next week, the following lines will have service changes: Red Line — Weekdays Orange Line — Weekdays, and weekends Green Line — all day, every day Commuter Rail — Weekends, weekdays, and ongoing Subway Red Line JFK/UMASS – Braintree August 8 – 11 8:45 PM until end of service  Shuttles will run between JFK/UMASS – Braintree from 8:45 PM to end of service for trackwork. Learn more about Red Line transformation projects See all Red Line service changes Green Line Heath St – Copley August 6 – 21, all day every day E Branch service will be suspended between Copley and Heath St from August 6 – 21 for track and infrastructure upgrades. Customers can use Route 39 bus service as an alternate.    Learn more about Green Line infrastructure upgrades See all Green Line service changes Government Center – Union Square August 22 – September 18, all day every day Green Line service will be suspended from Monday, August 22 through Sunday, September 18. This suspension will help facilitate the opening of the Medford Branch and to allow crews to perform final-phase construction work. Shuttles will replace Green Line service between Government Center and Union Square.  Learn more about Green Line transformation projects Orange Line Oak Grove – Forest Hills August 19 – September 18, all day every day Orange Line service will be suspended from Friday, August 19 at 9 PM through Sunday, September 18. This suspension will allow for upgrades and improvements of track and signal systems along the line.   Commuter Rail service alternative: Riders commuting to downtown are encouraged to use the Commuter Rail. Zone 1A, 1, and 2 fares can be paid simply by showing a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket on ALL Commuter Rail lines. During these 30 days, most passing south-side Needham and Providence Line Commuter Rail trains will stop at Forest Hills, Ruggles, Back Bay, and South Station. On the north-side, Haverhill Line Commuter Rail trains will stop at Oak Grove, Malden Center, and North Station. Riders can use other existing MBTA bus and subway services to complete their trips, along with free accessible shuttle buses servicing the Orange Line. MBTA travel alternatives: Green Line E Branch Silver Line 4 Free shuttle buses between Oak Grove and Haymarket, and then to Government Center Free shuttle buses between Forest Hills and Back Bay, and then to Copley Route 39 bus, servicing Forest Hills – Back Bay Station CT2 bus, servicing Sullivan Square – Ruggles Station  Orange Line travel alternatives Learn more about Building a Better T in 2022   Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line August 6 – 7, all weekend On the weekend of August 6 – 7, Fitchburg Line Train 1411/2411 (originally 5:50 PM from North Station) will depart North Station at 6:35 PM and operate 45 minutes behind the advertised spring/summer schedule. This service change will allow for work on the North Station Signal Improvement Project. Learn more about the North Station Signal Improvement Project See all Commuter Rail service changes Newburyport/Rockport August 5 – 7, Friday, and all weekend On weekends July 30 – August 28 as well as weekdays August 4 – 5 and August 15 – 19, buses will replace service between Beverly and North Station to allow for work on the signal improvement project. Buses will operate to/from North Station. Learn more about the North Station Signal Improvement Project See all Commuter Rail service changes