To the editor:
Tuesday, July 8, is a special election day in Marblehead. Polls will be open from 2 to 8 p.m., per a 1954 bylaw.
This election is a referendum on the May 2025 Town Meeting vote on “3A,” triggered by a petition signed by more than 1,200 residents.
The single ballot question gives all registered Marblehead voters a chance to weigh in on 3A again — not just those who were able to attend the specific Town Meeting evenings when 3A was debated and voted on.
This is especially important for residents who live and work in the three areas proposed for 3A zoning changes: Broughton Road, Tioga Way and a section of Pleasant Street, including parts of Washington, School and Atlantic streets.
Know what you are voting on. 3A is not about affordability. You can review the law at mass.gov by searching “Multifamily zoning for MBTA communities.”
The plan to comply with 3A was developed by the Planning Board and paid for with a grant. If zoning changes are implemented, developers and investors will be incentivized, and dense multifamily development will almost certainly follow.
To date, no cost estimates have been provided to citizens regarding the potential burden to taxpayers from additional multifamily housing built by right.
What will be the cost of additional police, fire, EMS, educators, trash collection, power, water and sewer? No one has offered answers — yet taxpayers will cover those costs indefinitely.
What about the time and peace lost from more traffic on our already crowded roads?
Who are the most vocal proponents? Real estate professionals, elected officials and activists — many of whom do not live in the affected 3A areas.
Who are the opponents? The people living in the 3A areas: neighbors on fixed incomes, working families, delivery drivers, the elderly who already struggle to get into Marblehead Housing — we, the people.
A no vote on the ballot rejects the plan to comply with 3A, aligning with the original 2024 no vote.
A yes vote accepts the plan, aligning with the 2025 yes vote, and could burden us with unknown costs through higher taxes and overcrowding.
Changing our locally controlled zoning — which already includes plenty of dense housing options — to state-mandated zoning that allows 15 multifamily units per acre by right, with only a 10% affordability requirement, will not benefit the majority of Marblehead residents. It will primarily benefit a small subset of real estate professionals and activists who want to urbanize our town.
Please vote no to preserve Marblehead and your ability to live here.
Tuesday, July 8
2 to 8 p.m. (if you haven’t already voted by mail or early in person)
Vote no to:
- More traffic and congestion
- Overcrowded classrooms
- Overdevelopment
Sue MacInnis
Bayview Road
