A state official responsible for the MBTA Communities Act says the law and the Wrentham Outlets do not destroy the character of a town.
The Norfolk County town of Wrentham – which is known for the popular Wrentham Village Premium Outlets – is resisting a state-mandated plan that requires at least 50 acres near its downtown to be zoned for multifamily housing.
Select Board members sent a letter to Gov. Maura Healey at the end of last month, asking her to reduce the burden because they believe the law could “lead to the destruction of the small-town New England charm that we've come to love.”
On Tuesday, the board discussed the details of the law with Caroline “Chris” Kluchman, acting director of the state’s Division of Community Services. Kluchman tried to alleviate concerns by emphasizing that the law only requires zoning for multifamily housing, not the actual building of units.
“Adding a small amount of multifamily zoning should not change the character of your community just as adding the Outlets maybe did not change the character of your community,” Kluchman said.
She added, “It may benefit your community for revenue purposes, but I believe the small amount of multifamily housing can be done in a way that will not disrupt the wonderful character of your town.”
The outlets account for 40% of Wrentham’s jobs and 25% of its businesses. The 170-store shopping center also contributes almost 10% of the town’s property tax revenue, according to its latest master plan, which was issued in 2022.
But the outlets are not entirely positive for Wrentham, a town of roughly 12,000 residents, Select Board member James Anderson told Kluchman.
“When you say that the mall does not change the character of our town, I can guarantee you it has,” he said. “Between the traffic and crime that’s increased, it has changed the rural character of the nice town of Wrentham. I respectfully disagree.”
The dispute, which is also occurring in a few other communities, comes as Attorney General Andrea Campbell and the town of Milton are set to go before the Supreme Judicial Court in the fall.
In February, Campbell filed a lawsuit against Milton after residents rejected the MBTA Communities Act, causing a loss of $140,800 in state funding.
Wrentham has to zone at least 50 acres near its downtown for multi-family housing, with 15 units per acre and a minimum of 750 units in total.
The town is considered an “adjacent community,” which means it doesn’t have a transit stop itself but borders municipalities that do – Franklin, Foxboro, and Norfolk. This designation requires housing stocks to be expanded by at least 10%
The state-mandated zoning plan could lead to a population increase of 13% in a town that officials say lacks municipal sewage and has an insufficient water supply, the Board of Selectmen wrote in its letter to Healey.
The state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities has rejected the idea that there would be such a significant population increase under the law, stating that some of the zoning districts could be placed in areas where there’s already existing housing.
“Schools might not have an immediate impact, but it will be gradual,” Kluchman explained. “Most financial studies that examine apartment buildings show a positive effect on the income of communities… more excise tax, more personal property tax, more real estate tax.”
