Norwell Approves MBTA Zoning Article at Special Town Meeting
Residents vote to comply with state law despite concerns over town character
NORWELL - December 12 - Norwell residents voted to approve the MBTA Communities Act Zoning Article at a special town meeting Thursday night, establishing a multi-family housing overlay district to comply with state law.
The article, which failed to pass at the annual town meeting in May, was reintroduced due to an approaching Dec. 31 compliance deadline. It designates a 50.2-acre area along Pond Street and Accord Park for potential multi-family housing development.
Select Board Chairman Jason Brown explained the town's limited options. "We are left with two choices. One is to vote yes to designate an area for by right multifamily zoning, selecting a location that we believe will minimize impacts on residents and present challenges for large scale development. Or vote no, reject the MBTA mandate again and face the potential consequences of noncompliance under state law," Brown said.
Planning Board Chairman Brian Greenberg presented details of the proposed district, emphasizing its strategic location to minimize impact on residential areas. "Our aim is to comply with the state mandate in the least possible way and in the way that impacts residential areas the least," Greenberg said.
The district allows for a maximum density of 10 multi-family housing units per acre, with 10% required to be affordable housing. Buildings are limited to three stories and 34 feet in height.
Some residents expressed strong opposition to the article. Richard Merritt, a former selectman, argued that the zoning change could alter Norwell's character. "Housing of this density is very much out of character with our town," Merritt said. "This article, if built out, could represent a 25% increase in our population."
Others, like Ryan Golemme, supported the measure, citing the need for diverse housing options. "I think just merely zoning so that these can exist at all is just a simple thing that really doesn't need to be this controversial," Golemme said.
Town Counsel Robert Galvin addressed concerns about potential legal challenges, noting that arguments about radiation from cell towers are not permitted in federal court. "This is more about control. This is about placing it in a location where the town can benefit from it," Galvin said.
The article passed by majority vote, bringing Norwell into compliance with the MBTA Communities Act.
In other business, residents approved an amendment to the South Shore Regional Vocational School District Regional Agreement. The change alters how debt is allocated for capital projects, moving from a fixed debt share to a rolling four-year average.
*editor’s note: Hanson, Scituate, Rockland, Whitman, Cohasset, and Hanover approved the amendment previously which already cleared the threshold of 2/3 of member towns. Abington failed to achieve a quorum and could not vote. Marshfield, the 9th member town, has a Special Town Meeting December 16.
The town also authorized the Select Board to enter into long-term leases for a wireless telecommunications tower on Grove Street and a solid waste removal contract with SEMASS.
Two Community Preservation Fund appropriations were approved: $460,350 for constructing a vault in the new town hall to preserve historic records, and $200,000 for a records management system to digitize and protect permanent town records.
Town Administrator Darleen Sullivan explained the need for the records management system, saying, "We are resolving a problem that took many, many years to create, protecting them from further harm, which we do have some that were getting damaged, just the way that they were stored."
The special town meeting, which began at 7 p.m. at Norwell Middle School, addressed all six articles on the warrant before adjourning.