MBTA Communities Overlay District

On October 8, 2024, Amesbury City Council approved Council Bill 2024-098 to adopt an ordinance to amend the Amesbury Zoning Ordinance to create an overlay that meets the requirements of the 2021 Baker administration’s MBTA Communities Act. Amesbury is identified among 177 communities in the state that are subject to the law and joins the other 70+ cities and towns that have rezoned areas of their community for by-right multi-family housing. Communities that do not comply are considered ineligible for several programs such as Community Planning Grants, Land Use Planning Grants, and over a dozen more funding opportunities.

Section 3A of MGL c. 40A requires that a MBTA community have a zoning ordinance that provides for at least one district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted, provided that such multi-family housing is without age restrictions and is suitable for families with children. The newly zoned district must also meet housing density requirements with a minimum gross density of fifteen units per acre. Additionally, it must also be located not more than a half-mile from a commuter rail station, subway station, ferry terminal or bus station. However, updated guidelines from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) indicate that Amesbury is an "adjacent" MBTA community, and the new zoning district did not have to be within half-mile proximity of the Newburyport station.

It is important to note this is a zoning mandate, not a housing production mandate. The state requires that Amesbury provide the ability for multi-family housing to be built, not that they build it. 

Amesbury will have three areas within the community that are zoned to comply with the provisions of the MBTA Communities Act: the East End Smart Growth Overlay District, the Gateway Village Smart Growth Overlay District, and the new Rocky Hill Multi-Family Overlay District. The Smart Growth Overlay Districts were previously approved by the Council. The new Rocky Hill Multi-Family Overlay District will allow for up to 433 additional units of “missing middle” housing on about 28 acres of developable land within an area formerly known as the “Golden Triangle”. “Missing middle” refers to a range of housing that falls between single-family homes and mid-rise apartment buildings and includes townhomes, duplexes, and other multi-unit options that can create a diverse housing stock. The ordinance includes a requirement for ten (10) percent of the homes in the district to be designated as affordable homes. In addition to diverse housing, future development would include a connected network of streets, walkable sidewalks, and access to open space.

Design Standards (Rocky Hill)

A key component of the zoning amendment for the Rocky Hill Multi-Family Overlay District is the creation of a Residential Pattern Book, which outlines design standards for street layouts and traffic calming measures, along with specific guidelines for site and building elements like massing, scale, and materials. Central to the neighborhood's design are various recreational and civic amenities, including clubhouses and pool facilities, as well as both active and passive recreational options. These features ensure that the neighborhoods are self-sustaining as well as connected to surrounding communities through the regional Riverwalk Project. These details reflect the many neighborhood and community workshops held over the last few years related to thoughtful development and housing growth in the city.