Land Use & Zoning

The Commonwealth has a new framework for focusing investments west of Boston. The I-495 and I-90 corridors have experienced dramatic change over the past 40 years. Rapid population and job growth has been accompanied by longer commutes, greater need for workforce housing, increasing infrastructure demands, and stressed environmental resources.

Smart Growth Districts are catching on slowly across Eastern Massachusetts. The Smart Growth Zoning and Housing Production Act (generally known as Chapter 40R) offers fnancial incentives to encourage cities and towns to zone for compact residential and mixed-use development in smart growth locations. Since 2004, 27 cities and towns have adopted 40R districts with zoning for up to 9,780 housing units statewide, an increase of 9,000 permissible units as compared to the prior zoning.

Mixed-use zoning allows for the integration of housing, shops, offices, and entertainment in the same development. When applied well, mixed-use zoning supports more compact land uses, less auto dependency, and enhanced community character. As of 2008, three-quarters of MAPC municipalities have adopted some form of mixed-use zoning. However, 30 of those municipalities did not see any new development in those districts over the period 2006 - 2008. Municipalities can promote market response by creating district plans with strong community consensus, and codifying those plans in "by-right" zoning with design guidelines or form-based codes.

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) helps cities and towns address three core community concerns: acquiring and preserving open space, protecting historic assets, and creating affordable housing.