Fact: All registered voters are eligible to vote on February 13—and all registered voters are eligible to vote “yes,” regardless of whether they signed the petition.

Fact: There are no approved or pending plans to build or develop additional housing units at this time. The ballot question relates to zoning, not building. To learn more about zoning, click here.

Fact: The proposed zoning allows the town to remain in control of local development by setting limits on what can be built and where. For example, the zoning includes limits on building height and number of units. Under the proposed zoning, every project that meets the zoning requirements must be reviewed and approved by the Planning Board. Developers must submit site, stormwater, building, landscape, and lighting plans for review at their own expense. Abutters will be notified, and the public will be invited to share feedback during public comment periods.

Fact: Sustainable Milton disagrees. The zoning is designed to foster walkable communities, with mixed-use districts (businesses on ground floor and residents above) located along the trolley line and bike path within walking distance of grocery stores, shops, and other amenities. Improved walkability will allow residents to spend less time in their cars.

Fact: Under the proposed zoning, developers would need to conduct a traffic impact study at their own expense and provide the results to the town Planning Board as part of the permit application process.

Fact: Developers - not the town - are responsible for capital and infrastructure costs. Consultants from RKG Associates, an economic, planning, and real estate development consulting firm, concluded that the proposed zoning could result in a $1M net gain in annual income to the town.

Fact: The zoning is designed to allow new development that fits into the scale of our neighborhoods and includes extensive, enforceable design standards. These standards are written into the zoning and are more restrictive than those in our current zoning. Some examples of these standards include detailed requirements for site and building design, building height, open space, pedestrian safety, and playgrounds.

Fact: Zoning is not the only way to regulate development. Projects that fall under the jurisdiction of the Conservation Commission or Historic Commission must also be approved by these bodies. Some projects may also require state-level review processes, which are independent of zoning and afford the public additional opportunities to review and share feedback.

Fact: As we all know, nothing about the MBTA in recent years has been rapid, but that’s not what’s at stake here. Town officials asked the state to change its classification as a rapid transit community in 2023. The state denied the Town’s request and confirmed that Milton is a rapid transit community. To read the state’s decision, click here.

Fact: The plan considers existing multifamily housing and approved 40B developments across town. Under the proposed zoning, 57% of the zoned capacity is along the transit corridor. It includes existing multi-family developments along a half-mile stretch of Eliot Street including 131 Eliot, 36 Central, 36 and 50 Eliot, and 88 Wharf Street.

Fact: Milton stands to lose $1.7 million in state aid, plus millions more for road improvements and climate change mitigation. Our Town Administrator has provided a detailed summary of the state aid Milton has received that may be at risk if a "no" vote prevails.

Fact: That’s not what the Governor said. On December 7, 2023, Governor Healey said “If you don’t comply with the act, then you’re going to see us withholding as a state money for any number of programs that you’re used to receiving money for. That includes for schools, it includes for roads and bridges, it includes for a whole host of things that are important to communities.”

Fact: At the January 23, 2024 Select Board meeting, Town Counsel clarified that the letter the town received from the AG last week was a "diplomatic threat of legal action." While the AG pledges collaboration, she does so assuming the town will make an effort to comply with the law. A “no” vote would not signal an effort to comply.

Fact: Every major affordable housing organization in the state supports the MBTA Communities Law because it will ease the affordability crisis. Market-rate duplexes and multifamily dwellings offer home buyers a more affordable alternative to single-family homes. In 2023, the average sale price of a two-bedroom, one-bath condo was $550,000, while the average sale price of a single family home in Milton was $1,102,412.

Fact: Under our current zoning, in projects larger than ten units, 10% of units must be income-restricted. Under state guidance, any percentage of affordable units greater than 10% requires an economic feasibility study. The state included this requirement in the law because if the required percentage of affordable units is too high, a project may not be feasible and zero units would be built. Town officials are currently exploring whether the state will grant permission to increase this percentage to the maximum allowable level in the future.

Fact: The Planning Board has already requested more time from the state. The state denied this request and pointed out that it gave the Town of Milton $100,000 in grant money to hire additional planning support (Utile and MAPC) to help the town create its plan. Using these resources, the town was able to review 30 district options that preserved the existing character of the town and accounted for existing and approved development.

Fact: The Law that requires Milton to adopt compliant zoning was enacted in January 2021. Since then, the town has held dozens of planning meetings, held multiple public forums, and collected input from hundreds of residents.

Fact: As with any bylaw, the proposed zoning can be updated or changed after it is adopted. The Planning Board has the authority to propose new zoning or updates to the zoning and bring it to Town Meeting for approval.

Fact: Town Counsel issued an opinion that if the proposed zoning is not approved in the upcoming election, the town may be unable to pass similar zoning for a period of two years after the vote.