Halifax Selectmen Reject MBTA Housing Law Compliance

Board votes unanimously against recommending zoning change, citing concerns over state mandates and potential consequences

HALIFAX, MA - November 19 - The Halifax Board of Selectmen unanimously voted against recommending a zoning change to comply with the MBTA Communities housing law during their meeting Tuesday night. The decision comes after months of debate and could potentially result in loss of state grants and legal action from the Attorney General.

Board Chairman John Bruno expressed his change of heart on the issue, stating, "I honestly thought that the zoning bylaw committee had done a great job in coming up with a compromise that would not put us in any sort of jeopardy. But what I've seen lately in terms of the discussion is no one discusses this bylaw at all."

Bruno added, "After giving it that much thought and just seeing how it's going I just can't vote in favor of it anymore."

The proposed zoning change was initially seen as a practical solution to address the MBTA dictate while causing minimal impact on Halifax. However, board members now view it as potentially enabling further government mandates.

Selectman Jonathan Selig echoed Bruno's sentiments, saying, "I've been up nights on this one. I've been yes, I've been no, I've been everywhere in between on it." He emphasized that the board is always trying to do what's best for the town, but acknowledged that their actions will have consequences either way.

The board's decision aligns with the Planning Board's unanimous vote last Thursday to not recommend the zoning bylaw.

A special town meeting is scheduled for Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Halifax Elementary School gym to discuss and vote on the MBTA Communities zoning issue. Residents can expect to receive warrants in their mailboxes by early December.

In other business, Plymouth County Commissioners presented a check for $140,000 to the Halifax Board of Selectmen as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds distribution. The town has received over $2.6 million in combined CARES Act and ARPA funds from the county.

County Commissioner Jared Valanzola praised the town's efforts, saying, "Cody and your team have done an excellent job with the compliance that is necessary to secure these funds."

Commissioner Sandra Wright provided a breakdown of the funds distributed to Halifax, stating, "For CARES Act, we gave $1,275,321.18. For ARPA funds, we've given $1,418,762.63."

The ARPA program is set to sunset on Dec. 31, with funds needing to be committed by that date. The county has until Dec. 31, 2026, to disburse the funds.

Valanzola emphasized the county's commitment to ensuring all funds are utilized, stating, "We made a commitment that we're not going to send a dime back to Washington DC either. So we're making sure that money stays in Halifax, and it stays in Plymouth County."

Town Administrator Cody Haddad confirmed that Halifax has submitted applications for its full allocation and anticipates one more round of applications pending review.

In other updates, Haddad reported that the town barn roof replacement is complete, two new boilers were installed at Halifax Elementary School, and work has begun on energy efficiency improvements at various town buildings under a green communities grant.

The board also approved several permits, including a road opening permit for 17 Old Farm Road and applications for the annual Holidays in Halifax event on Dec. 14.

The next Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for Dec. 3.