Wrentham Public Outreach on MBTA Communities Zoning
The town of Wrentham is stepping up community outreach this week as it prepares for a key vote at its Fall Town Meeting. On November 3, residents will consider a zoning bylaw proposal designed to comply with the MBTA Communities Act, which requires certain municipalities adjacent to MBTA-served towns to allow multifamily housing by right.
To help residents understand the proposal, the town will hold a public information session at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 16, at Fiske Public Library. This marks the second outreach meeting following an earlier event on October 7.
As an “Adjacent Community” under the MBTA Communities Act, Wrentham must adopt zoning that permits multifamily developments subject only to site plan approval by the Planning Board. The law does not mandate construction or infrastructure upgrades but instead ensures zoning allows this type of housing without discretionary permitting barriers.
Wrentham’s proposal establishes an overlay district covering roughly 50 acres—at least 25 of them contiguous—with an average density of 15 units per acre and housing allowed for families without age restrictions.
Earlier drafts of the zoning map included 37 acres on Elysium Street and 22 acres on East Street. The updated version now proposes 37 acres on Elysium Street and 21 acres on Ledgeview Way, about eight acres of which are wetlands or protected land. Because portions of the Ledgeview site already contain existing development, allowable density there has been increased while the Elysium site’s density was adjusted downward.
Town Manager Michael King said the purpose of the outreach session is to give residents a clear understanding of what the MBTA Communities Act means for Wrentham—what’s being proposed, how it might affect neighborhoods, and what questions voters will face at Town Meeting. He encouraged residents to attend and ask questions ahead of the vote.
As the town moves toward its November Town Meeting, the upcoming session offers a timely opportunity for residents to engage, seek clarity, and weigh how these proposed zoning changes could shape Wrentham’s future.
