Wayland Multifamily Upzoning Will Be Subject Of Planning Board Forum

WAYLAND, MA — Wayland doesn't have an MBTA station, but a new state law that aims to increase housing density has designated Wayland as an MBTA community.

The specifics of the new law — and what it means for Wayland — will be the subject of a Wayland Planning Board forum on Dec. 6.

Wayland's designation as an "MBTA community" is due to its proximity to stations in Natick and Framingham, and is one of 175 such communities included in the new law. Under the law, MBTA communities have to create "at least one zoning district of reasonable size in which multifamily housing is permitted as of right."

The law requires the multifamily zone to allow non-age restricted housing at a density of at least 15 units per acre. Wayland is classified as an "adjacent" MBTA community under the law, and would have to allow the creation of 750 units of housing in a zone that's at least 50 acres, according to state guidelines.

The state Legislature passed the law to chip away at the state's severe shortage of affordable housing. The law also aims to make areas around transit stations more walkable. Almost all of Wayland is zoned for single-family housing only.

On Dec. 6, the Planning Board will provide residents with an overview of the guidelines, discuss deadlines and areas of town that could be re-zoned. The forum will begin at 7:15 p.m. on Zoom.