CALL TO ACTION

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 This week marks two key milestones in our town’s MBTA Communities/Section 3A zoning process. Recognizing that this has been a long, heated, and often confusing journey, we’ve put together some information and suggested talking points that we hope will help you to feel informed and prepared to engage in this important public process. Namely:

• Tuesday 11/12, 7:00pm DeLeo Senior Center (details): : The Planning Board will be voting to recommend a plan that would bring Winthrop into compliance with the law. You can review a recent version of that plan, submitted by the town’s consultant, here, and a slide deck that illustrates that proposal here. 

  • A Zoom option will be available, but in-person attendance is encouraged 

• Tuesday 11/19, 6:30pm, DeLeo Senior Center (details): The Town Council will be reviewing, and potentially voting, on that recommendation. 

  • No Zoom option, WCAT will likely record, but in-person attendance is strongly encouraged for this much more spacious venue

We urge our fellow residents to join us in turning out at these meetings to voice our support. The planning board worked to create a common sense compliance plan that allows us to conform to the state’s 3A law without impacting our community. Please stand up and make a statement endorsing the work the planning board and consultant team has done and for achieving legal compliance through the plan they will recommend to the Town Council.

 Here are some suggested points to include in a statement:

• The plan presented includes only two areas of town (Seal Harbor and Governors Park). Each already has dense, multifamily housing (condos and apartments) and more units than will be allowed by the proposed zoning plan, ensuring that this is purely paper compliance.The plan presented gives us credit for the rezoning of the Commercial Business District, which took place in 2021. This is a plan that is purely a paper exercise, bringing Winthrop into legal compliance by adjusting our zoning to reflect existing housing and receive credit for work we have already done. 

• No new units of housing will be allowed by right as a result of the proposed zoning plan because they have already been built or reflected in existing zoning. This is, as a result, a “zero impact plan”.

A snapshot of the proposal as presented on 8/27 (we understand there has been a slight change in that the RPM property adjacent to Governors Park has been removed from the overlay):

If you cannot attend these meetings in person, we urge you to write an email to the Town Council at: towncouncil@town.winthrop.ma.us and include Denise Quist, the Town Clerk, dquist@winthropma.gov and say that you would like your statement read into the record for the 11/14 meeting. Your message can be simple and state some of the following:

• I support a vote in favor of complying with 3A through the proposed overlay districts

• I do not support the Town Council fighting this law in court and wasting taxpayer money to do so

• The compliance plan recognizes buildings that already exist and will not add any units to town

• Complying with the state law allows Winthrop to maintain access to existing grant moneys and gain access to newly created grants that have 3A compliance as a requirement

• Complying with the state law prevents lawsuits from the state that will cost Winthrop up to a million dollars, based on Milton’s expenses so far

Please sign your email with your name and Precinct or address. Denise Quist will state the number of letters in support of compliance, but will not individually read the letters in the meetings.

Finally, we know this week has been difficult for folks who care about the future of Winthrop with the failing of the override. This is a way you can make a difference in our community. Please feel free to reach out with any questions at winthroptogether@gmail.com. We are happy to discuss 3A and other issues that we have heard the Councilors speak about at meetings. We believe we are stronger when we work together and find compromises derived not from “either/or” thinking but a “both/and” approach. On 3A, we believe we can preserve and enhance the character of our community in a way that reflects our housing needs AND achieve compliance with the state law. The plan presented in public meetings this week will do that! Please join us in supporting that plan. 

 In Solidarity,

Winthrop Working Together 

www.winthroptogether.org