MBTA Zoning

Mission of the MBTA Zoning Task Force

The MBTA Task Force was organized by the Select Board and the Planning Board to study the requirements of the housing mandate imposed by the State under MGL 40 A and to make recommendations to the Town on how to address the State Law.

The Task Force will undertake the following tasks:

1. Conduct a careful study of the downtown to determine the existing land use conditions, the current supply of housing, any underutilized land, and potential opportunities and obstacles to meeting both the Town’s and the State’s goals.
2. Consider the likely minimal modifications to the current Zoning By-law that would bring the Town into compliance with the mandate and the potential impacts of these modifications on the downtown.
3. Determine the consequences of failing to comply with the mandate
4. Consider changes to the Zoning By-law that would best address both rental and ownership of housing as described in the Master Plan while simultaneously bringing the Town into compliance with 40A.
5. Provide ample opportunities for public input and wide dissemination to Manchester’s citizens of the information and analyses as they are developed.

Upon completion of this work, the Task Force will issue a report to the Select Board and Planning Board summarizing its findings and including alternative proposals for any modification to our zoning regulations that meet both the Town’s and the State’s objectives.

The goal is to complete these tasks and submit the report before Spring of 2024.