Submitted by Lori Etringer
Bedford voters must follow state law and approve the Planning Board’s thoughtful multifamily zoning overlay districts at Town Meeting on March 25. The Attorney General has threatened legal action against towns that do not comply with the MBTA Communities Act.
Not adopting this new zoning overlay will strain increasingly scarce natural resources as pressures mount to produce new housing for a growing population. It will burden our next generation with a more vulnerable climate and limit their options for living and working in their community. Of more immediate impact, rejecting this commonsense zoning plan will cause Bedford to lose vital state grants. I support multifamily zoning because I want my children – and future generations – to have access to housing in Bedford.
Before moving to Bedford, I spent 10 years commuting 30 miles in each direction because I could not afford to live closer to my job. Moving here was transformational: it cut my commuting time by ⅔ and offered a neighborhood where my children and I could walk, ride our bikes, and know our neighbors.
Allowing additional housing stock of different sizes and price points is good for Bedford. Essential workers like teachers, store owners and firefighters should be able to live where they work. Our older neighbors and new families bring richness and diversity to our community. When more of us live near where we work, regional traffic decreases and quality of life improves.
Multifamily zoning is for our greater good and we all benefit. We all need housing; we all need a livable climate; and we all want access to basic services in our community. Multifamily zoning makes these goals attainable for more people, without diminishing the qualities so many of us appreciate in Bedford.
I urge all Bedford residents to learn about the multifamily warrant articles and why it is so important to pass them at Town Meeting. Please join the Bedford Mothers Out Front chapter meeting on Monday, Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. to hear Bedford Planning Board Member Jacinda Barbehenn give an in-depth presentation on the topic. You’ll also have an opportunity to ask questions. RSVP here to receive a zoom link.
I support multifamily zoning as a citizen of Bedford, a mother, an outdoor enthusiast, and a member of Mothers Out Front, an organization of mothers and others working toward a livable climate and an equitable future for all children.
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