Duxbury Forms MBTA Communities Group, Appoints New Planning Board Member

Town Faces December 31 Deadline for MBTA Zoning Compliance

DUXBURY, MA - May 6 - The Duxbury Selectboard voted Monday to establish a working group addressing the state's MBTA Communities Act, as the town faces a Dec. 31 deadline for compliance. In the same meeting, the board appointed a new Planning Board member after a contentious selection process.

The MBTA Communities Working Group will consist of seven members, including four at-large members and representatives from the Selectboard, Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals. The group will study potential zoning changes and impacts on the town related to the state mandate.

Selectboard member Fernando Guitart emphasized the urgency, stating, "We need to put this working group together and then charge that working group with understanding all these issues and ramifications."

Town officials expressed concern about the tight timeline for compliance. Planning Board Chair Scott Casagrande said, "We have a good basis for the working group to go off of. They're not starting from scratch."

The board discussed seeking an extension from the state, given the complexity of the issue and desire for public engagement. Selectboard member Amy MacNab voiced skepticism about the mandate, saying, "I personally think it's punitive. I think I'm offended that the state is requiring towns like ours to create zones where densities are required to be out of sight."

In a separate decision, the Planning Board and Selectboard jointly appointed Matthew Ray to fill a vacant Planning Board seat. The appointment came after interviews with five candidates and sparked debate among board members.

Ray, an attorney with commercial real estate development experience, emerged as the top choice after a split vote. Planning Board member Kristin Rappe said, "We've got a builder, multifamily lender, two real estate attorneys, and an administrator with change management experience. And with all the projects that are on our horizon, we need every single one of those skillsets."

The decision was not unanimous, with some board members advocating for other candidates based on experience or previous town involvement. Select Board member Brian Glennon supported Steve Gant, noting, "You put yourselves out there, the voters have spoken. I would think, and this is one thing that occurred to me when we first were thinking about how we're going to do this, that whoever was next on the ballot in terms of votes would first be my person."

Despite differing opinions, the boards ultimately chose Ray. He expressed commitment to Duxbury, stating, "My wife and I, neither of us grew up here, but we love the town since we moved down. We have no intentions of leaving, so we're vested in the future development of the town."

The newly formed working group will begin addressing MBTA Communities Act requirements immediately. Ray is expected to join the Planning Board for its next scheduled meeting.