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Vistaer t1_jd5abpa wrote

What I don’t get is why communities which don’t have MBTA access are subject to it. Newton has a stop, yep clearly should be subject. Same with Weston, but how the heck is “Holden” - west of Worcester - an MBTA community? It’s like getting stuck with the designation but not actually getting MBTA service. I’d say if they wanna add rail service to communities willing to comply and take it away from Weston as a cost-of-access for not complying then consider that.

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pro_auto_advisors t1_jd5kqie wrote

Yeah I’m drawing a blank on Holden being an MBTA community. The closest commuter rail is Worcester, right?

That place neighbors Boylston, Spencer, Paxton, and Worcester. There’s 0 public transit here.

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Vistaer t1_jd5r569 wrote

Holden is a adjacent community: https://www.mhp.net/assets/resources/documents/MBTA_simple_category_combo_8-4-22.jpg

I just used them as an example - and it’s a fine line because I’m not agreeing with NIMBYs - I agree need for housing, especially near mass transit should supersede trying to keep prices high in exclusionary towns, but I also get towns who are pissed because “if we comply then can we at least get the benefit of MBTA?”

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pro_auto_advisors t1_jd5sz6r wrote

Thanks for the resource!

I get it too. The communities that actually have commuter rail stops should have extra housing

But, who the hell living in Holden or Lancaster are going to drive 20 minutes, pay for parking, then take a 1.5hr train ride? Plus any connections to get to work? I live in that general area and never once have I thought it would be better to take the train than drive - and I love trains and think they’re great!

Encouraging housing where the stations are will be impactful. Adding a stop in some of these other communities would be great!

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FrenchieFury t1_jd5ofrp wrote

It’s a town over but it is not “close” to Union station by any stretch 😂

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pro_auto_advisors t1_jd5omlx wrote

Not even a little!

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FrenchieFury t1_jd5ow31 wrote

On the other side is Grafton MBTA station

Which has literally no housing anywhere close to it

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pro_auto_advisors t1_jd5psxr wrote

Truth be told I’ve only been in Grafton like half a dozen times but I have no clue where their MBTA stop is.

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H2Omekanic t1_jd61jhr wrote

You can't see Holden from Newton or Weston McMansion is what it amounts to

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BostonUniStudent t1_jd5eav8 wrote

Oh no, does that mean they get free state money to encourage the building of more housing?

How will they survive?

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Checkers923 t1_jd5q8v4 wrote

I like that holden is in quotes.

What is the requirement for a town like Holden? The article says that the zoning generally should be within a half mile of the transit stop, but no part of Holden is even within 5 miles of a transit stop.

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TiredPistachio t1_jd68mwi wrote

Holden has to zone 50 acres at 15 units per acre. That's what this does. It's zoning

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Checkers923 t1_jd7h9zx wrote

Thanks! I understand its a zoning requirement (not a building requirement), I’m curious where Holden is required to put those acres, or if its up to them to decide.

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TiredPistachio t1_jd7jhax wrote

Wherever they want, but I mean they will put them in places that "make sense" for the town. They will also likely put them in parts of their town that already have apartments or density. I dont see anything on the official website that says it has to be new zones. Not sure about Holden though never been.

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65fairmont t1_jd8vqy2 wrote

Holden is a ruralish suburb that's not a particularly easy commute to the nearest commuter rail station. There's no way to build "transit oriented housing" there, no one living in Holden is walking or biking to any public transportation.

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TiredPistachio t1_jd9ahll wrote

Yeah my guess is nothing will really be built there because of this. Not sure why it didn't qualify for the "small community" adjustment. I'm guessing land area is decent. Dover for the small community adjustment and only has to zone for like 100 units. Its ridiculous

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65fairmont t1_jd9atpx wrote

Yeah it has almost 20K people and it borders a town (Worcester) that has commuter rail, but it's still ridiculous. The zoning changes should only apply within a mile of transit, which would exclude Holden and most of the other further-off towns.

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Vistaer t1_jd5qijh wrote

Even Paxton is an adjacent small town community: https://www.mhp.net/assets/resources/documents/MBTA_simple_category_combo_8-4-22.jpg

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Checkers923 t1_jd5s5j6 wrote

Pretty sure a half mile zone of Paxton could fit the entire population of Paxton

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its-a-crisis t1_jd5ybpg wrote

What defines community versus small town? The two shades of yellow.

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