Wrentham town officials have initiated a lawsuit against the state in response to the MBTA Communities Act, arguing it imposes an unfunded mandate on local resources. They seek pertinent financial information regarding the law's potential effects on education, public safety, and infrastructure costs. The lawsuit emphasizes that until the state provides necessary funding, Wrentham should not be required to comply with drastic zoning changes for multi-family housing. This legal action follows a recent trend among towns pushing back against similar mandates imposed by the state, particularly after overwhelming local opposition to the law's requirements was voiced in a town meeting.
The lawsuit also seeks to relieve the town from having to comply with the statute until the state provides funding to cover the increased costs.
Voters in Wrentham overwhelmingly defeated an article concerning the zoning bylaw amendment at a special town meeting in December.
The law requires Wrentham to zone for at least 750 multi-family units at a gross density of 15 units per acre across a minimum of 50 acres.
State Auditor Diana DiZoglio declared that the MBTA zoning law constitutes an unfunded mandate, necessitating required financial impact information from state housing agency.
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