Milton & Duxbury Now Compliant with MBTA Communities Law

Dear Engage Weston Readers,
We’re pleased to share two important updates on the MBTA Communities Act:

Milton Votes Yes

After a tense two-night debate, Milton’s Town Meeting voted 69 percent to 31 percent in favor of a citizen-petitioned zoning plan aimed at adding capacity for approximately 2,461 multi-family units—equaling 25 percent of the town’s existing housing stock. This vote brings Milton into full compliance with the MBTA Communities law, ending a drawn-out process that included prior rejections, legal challenges (including a Supreme Judicial Court ruling affirming the law’s constitutionality), and a heated community dialogue.

Read more in Commonwealth Beacon

Duxbury Gets on Board

Duxbury also secured compliance at a recent Special Town Meeting. Voters approved the MBTA Communities overlay zoning by a clear margin—255 in favor, 152 opposed—completing the town’s second attempt to meet the state’s requirements. Notably, Duxbury used the same attorney as Weston in the recently dismissed unfunded mandate lawsuit.

Read more in the Duxbury Clipper

What This Means for Weston

• Milton and Duxbury are now compliant, joining the growing list of communities meeting the July 14 deadline under the State’s emergency regulations.
• Their actions underscore that legal challenges have not succeeded—and that timely, community-driven zoning updates are the clearest path forward.
• With no Town Meeting scheduled until November, Weston remains at risk of non-compliance, which could trigger profound legal and financial consequences from the state.

Latest compliance

140 towns have passed compliant bylaws
13 towns still need to adopt bylaws by the July 14, 2025 deadline
3 towns are non-compliant

Thank you for staying engaged. We’ll continue to track Weston’s progress and provide updates on what actions may be needed before the July 14 deadline.

Warm regards,
The Engage Weston Team