Fitchburg 3A MBTA Communities Zoning Technical Assistance

Working under a grant from the Mass Housing Partnership, DREAM is helping the City of Fitchburg to comply with a new state law,  Section 3A MBTA Communities, that requires creation of zoning districts that allow for as-of-right multi-family residential. As a progressive community, Fitchburg wants to encourage adaptive reuse of its historic buildings and bring more residents downtown to support local businesses.

DREAM tested numerous downtown zoning districts for compliance, and helped the City determine the best approach. DREAM identified necessary zoning changes, including density, parking regulations, and bulk standards. In helping Fitchburg take advantage of a new provision for mandatory mixed-use (MMU), DREAM has been instrumental in helping the Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities to clarify how 3A overlays work with existing 40R Smart Growth districts.