Carver Planning Board Votes to Pursue 40-R Smart Growth District for MBTA Compliance

CARVER -- March 25, 2026, Carver Planning Board votes 4-1 to pursue a Chapter 40-R Smart Growth Housing District, aiming to satisfy the state's MBTA Communities Law with a single zoning action. The board acted after a working session with Judy Barrett and Lily Kramer of the Barrett Planning Group, who told members the North Carver parcel under consideration can satisfy both the MBTA Communities Section 3A requirement, which mandates zoning for at least 235 multifamily units, and the Chapter 40-R Smart Growth standard, which would entitle the town to a zoning incentive payment and $3,000 per building permit for qualifying units. Barrett warned the board that the Mass Housing Partnership consulting contract funding the work expires June 30 and the state will need the full 90 days it is allowed under its own regulations to review any application. One member voted no, arguing long-term municipal service costs, police, fire, schools, roads, would dwarf any state payments: "The costs that we would receive or benefits we would receive under 40-R are so minimal as to be negligible."