Letter: Why you should vote YES on MBTA 3A plan

There is a redrafted zoning proposal to vote on in the Oct. 15 Special Town Meeting. The proposal has been thoughtfully developed over the last nine months and now has unanimous support from the Select Board, the Planning Board and the Finance Committee. Please vote YES on Oct. 15 at Town Meeting to accept the proposal.

Why?

1. Vote YES because then we retain control of how and where 3A-compliant zoning is implemented. If we defeat Weston’s proposal on Oct. 15, the State could legally force zoning on Weston, potentially ignoring the town’s desire to protect the town’s character and potentially giving developers more control over what gets built.
2. Vote YES because it’s a good plan. Some Westonians don’t want more housing; the current proposal is remarkably minimalist. Some Westonians want housing options for our seniors, our town employees and our adult children; the proposal opens the door to a tiny bit of that.
3. Vote YES because Weston benefits from a vibrant state economy — and for that the state needs to stop losing residents and businesses. Low housing inventory and attendant high housing costs are cited as the primary drivers here.
4. Vote YES because it’s financially smart. The State already informed us that because we’re not in compliance with 3A, they’re holding back a $278,000 literacy grant our schools were relying on. There is potentially much more state funding at risk, for schools, infrastructure, health and safety, senior programs and more – plus why incur fines and legal fees?
   We strongly encourage you to attend Town Meeting and vote YES on Oct. 15. Let’s get out and defend our town together.
   On behalf of Engage Weston,
   Alice Benson, Conant Road