Next ‘MBTA Communities’ public forum set for next Monday night | Reading

READING – Town residents will get yet another opportunity to share their thoughts about a zoning proposal that will allow by-right multi-family housing developments within a new 20-acre “mixed residential” district that would envelop neighborhoods around downtown Reading.

Reading’s Community Planning and Development Commission (CPDC) is pitching the zoning legislation in response to the state’s so-called “MBTA Communities” initiative, which requires cities and towns which receive public transportation services to incentivize the construction of more multi-family housing inventory.

Next Monday’s public forum in the Reading Public Library’s community room, which begins at 7 p.m., will be at least the third community listening session held by town officials since Dec. 18.

In Reading’s case, the town must eventually set aside at least 43-acres of land where multi-family housing redevelopments with at least three-units are allowed by-right (meaning petitioner’s can apply for building permits without first having to obtain a special permit).

At least half of that special zoning district must be situated within a half-mile of Reading’s commuter rail stop at the Reading Depot Station off of Lincoln Street. At a minimum, those looking to redevelop parcels within the proposed “mixed residential” district will be allowed construct projects with a density of 15-units per acre.

The MBTA Communities regulations also specify that Reading’s zoning district should be sized to allow the creation of at least 1,493 new housing units in town.

The state zoning mandate, which applies to at least 175 communities scattered across Massachusetts, was passed by the state legislature back in 2021 as part of a larger economic development bill.

The CPDC, which hopes to bring its proposal to Town Meeting this spring, has noted that Reading is not in compliance with the state law even though the municipality has already enacted a 40R or smart-growth zoning district around a substantial portion of the downtown area.

Yet another drunk driving arrest

Reading Police Chief David Clark this week advised residents that yet another alleged repeat drunk driving offender was arrested over weekend following a traffic stop by Lowell and Salem Streets.

According to Clark, 54-year-old Peabody resident Kelly McGovern was arrested over the weekend for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor (second offense), one count of operating to endanger, and a marked lanes violation. She was arraigned in Woburn District Court on Monday on the charges.

Since the start of 2024, local police have arrested or charged at least four people for drunk driving. All of the suspects, including two Reading residents and Wakefield man, have been identified by local authorities as repeat offenders.

During the latest incident on Saturday night, 911 dispatchers were contacted at 9:25 p.m. by a witness who had observed a motorist in a brown Toyota Camry swerving all over Lowell Street. Investigating officers subsequently located the suspect vehicle by the intersection of Lowell and Salem Streets and reported witnessing the same erratic driving behavior.

“I want to thank the individual who reported this erratic driver to us,” said the police chief in a prepared statement sent to The Reading Chronicle. “That phone call helped our officers locate and identify this driver, which enabled us to get her off the road.”

Housing Trust Fund legislation

Mass. Governor Maura Healey yesterday signed into law legislation that enables Reading to replace its affordable housing trust fund with a modernized accounting mechanism.

Healey’s endorsement brings to fruition Reading’s quest to reallocate funding within its 22-year-old Affordable Housing Trust Fund to a new account that is governed by the rules associated with the state’s Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Law. Presently, there is about $400,000 within the old account.

Back in 2001, Reading became one of the first communities in Massachusetts to ever establish an affordable housing trust fund, and as a result, the town got an early jump on building up funding within the account. However, many communities have since taken advantage of the more flexible trust funds.

Looking to enjoy those same benefits, Town Meeting representatives in Nov. of 2022 authorized the filing of a Home Rule Petition seeking to establish a new trust fund, an action which gives the community more flexibility in pursing affordable housing goals.

Thanks to Reading’s Beacon Hill delegation, the petition was enacted by both of the state’s legislative branches earlier this month.

“Reading has long been at the forefront of efforts to create more affordable housing for its residents,” said State Representative and House Minority Leader Bradley Jones of the coordinated effort to get the legislation passed. “The streamlined trust fund structure offered under Chapter 44 will enable Reading officials to more easily and effectively pursue these housing goals and will encourage more affordable housing production in the community.”