A Referendum Rundown
• Needham’s special election on Tuesday will determine whether the town will preserve the zoning adopted at October’s Town Meeting or do away with the plan.
In a matter of months, Needham passed zoning compliant with the MBTA Communities Law, fell out of compliance with the success of a citizens’ petition, and now awaits new regulations from the state following a Supreme Judicial Court ruling.
The town’s compliance with the mandatory zoning law hinges on Tuesday’s referendum, wherein voters will decide to either maintain the Neighborhood Housing Plan — which exceeds the minimum number of required zoning units — or to hold another Town Meeting, likely on Feb. 24, to find another solution.
The ballot question will read as follows: “Shall the Town vote to amend the Needham By-Law as set forth in Articles 8 and 9 of the October 21, 2024 Special Town Meeting Warrant, including the amendments set forth in Articles 10 and 11?”
A “yes” vote would maintain the NHP, which zones for 3,296 units. A “no” vote would strike down both the NHP and the Base Plan, which was amended to include the NHP at Town Meeting (the Base Plan zoned for 1,870 units). Town Counsel Chris Heep previously stated the Planning Board would need to start the process over should the zoning be repealed.
In order to overturn the adopted zoning, the “no” votes must outnumber the “yes” votes and at least 20% of registered voters must vote “no.” There are about 25,100 registered voters in town, meaning at least 5,020 or so would need to vote “no.” The town clerk’s office has already accepted mail-in votes in the election.
Needham Residents for Thoughtful Zoning, the group that initiated the citizens’ petition, favors the Base Plan and expresses concern about potentially overcrowded schools, traffic and “uncontrollable growth” under the NHP.
Advocacy organization Yes For Needham supports the NHP, as they say the plan would allow young people to move in and older adults to downsize, as well as attract revenue and talent for local businesses.
Learn more about the election and its implications here.
Additional coverage leading up to the referendum is available at needhamlocal.org and needhamchannel.org.
