Beverly to Hold Joint Public Hearings on 3A Compliance

The Beverly City Council and Planning Board are holding a joint public hearing on October 7, 2024, to discuss the city’s proposed MBTA Communities Overlay District which would comply with the state-multifamily housing requirements for MBTA communities commonly referred to as 3A. Please see a summary of the proposed MBTA Communities Overlay District below:

• The MBTA Communities Overlay District is centered around the Beverly Depot Commuter Rail Station and consists of the Mandatory Mixed Use (MMU), Central Business (CC), Central Business Cabot (CC2), Multifamily High Density (RHD), and Multifamily Medium Density (RMD) subdistricts.
• In the MBTA Communities Overlay District, multi-family housing is permitted by right (no special permit required), and there are no age restrictions.
• The overlay district is approximately 98 acres.
• The minimum density in the MBTA Communities Overlay District is 21 housing units per acre, surpassing the state required 15 units per acre.
• The overlay district’s multi-family housing unit capacity is 2,063. This does not mean that 2,063 units will be built, rather the district has the capacity for 2,063 units.
• New developments in the Mandatory Mixed Use sub-district require buildings with non-residential uses on the ground floor.
• Almost the entire MBTA Communities overlay District is within one half mile of the Beverly Depot Commuter Rail Station.

The Beverly City Council will vote on a final proposal for 3A compliance, with a simple majority required for approval. The deadline for 3A compliance is December 31, 2024. For more information about Beverly’s plan for compliance with 3A, including a proposed map of the MBTA Communities Overlay District, please click here.