The Town of Acton plans to allow thousands of additional condos.
Will this help or hurt? The housing crisis? The water crisis? taxes?
We do not know, because the Town has yet to perform normal detailed impact studies.
Do we need these studies before we vote on the plans?
"Zoning" is a set of laws which regulate how many buildings,
what size and type [like housing!] can go on a parcel of land.
"RESPONSIBLE Zoning" is inclusive, sustainable and just.
This site is focused on examining proposed "zoning changes" in Acton Massachusetts, and to explain why petitioners gathered signatures from over 400 Acton voters to hold a special Town Meeting on the matter of "zoning impact studies". We hope you urge town leaders to perform studies, to provide details on potential and expected impacts of major zoning proposals, like those coming to a vote at Town Meeting May 6/7, such as those described on this website. You can contact them at: [email protected]
There is no doubt that zoning could use some changes to be more inclusive, sustainable and just.
But what should those changes be?
Are the changes that the Town is proposing to be voted on at Town Meeting May 6/7 the right changes?
How do we know?
Will the impact of your vote cause harm? or help people?
We believe that the Town should perform "impact studies" [like other towns do] for us to know the impact of our vote, and whether a "yes" vote could:
- increase tenant displacement risk
- reduce income diversity
- increase carbon footprint
- increase taxes/water-cost
- increase traffic
- increase flooding
- decrease walkability
- decrease water quality/availability
- introduce other risks/costs
See this next page for examples of impact studies that have municipalities performed before major zoning changes are voted upon. Most of the zoning impact information can be generated either at very low cost or by seasoned professional experts already employed at Town Hall
