Introduction & Overview

The Town of Dover's (“Dover”) Planning Board has performed a great deal of research and work to seek the best ways to fully comply with the MBTA Communities Act (the “Act”) in the context of the needs and realities of Dover. The Act (which has already been passed by the Massachusetts state legislature and signed into law by former Governor Charlie Baker in 2021) requires that the 177 municipalities in the MBTA’s service area (including Dover) have at least one zoning district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing with no age restrictions and suitable for families with children is permitted as of right. The requirement is codified as Section 3A of MGL c. 40A. Dover is considered an “adjacent small town” pursuant to the Act.

What does this mean for Dover?

By Dec. 31, 2025, Dover must establish and approve a zoning district that could (but is not required to) be developed at some point that:
  • Allows for a minimum of 102 units at a gross density of at least 15 housing units per acre
  • Is not age-restricted and must be suitable for families with children


What does Dover actually need to do?

  • Select a district or districts to be zoned for compliance with the Act
  • Write a zoning bylaw regulating this specific type of development in the proposed district
  • Vote at Town Meeting to approve this bylaw and a zoning map amendment before the Compliance Deadline or risk losing access to significant and necessary Massachusetts state funds


It should be noted that the Act:

  • Does NOT require that multi-family housing, in fact, be built
  • Does NOT compel Dover to pay for or approve new infrastructure like sewer or water
  • Does NOT supersede or override Dover wetlands or Title V laws or any of Dover’s general bylaws or regulations


The Act DOES allow Dover to maintain control of future development in the proposed district through Dover’s local regulations and bylaws and allows Dover to develop specific zoning regulations for any proposed district, such as design criteria, setbacks, and dimensional requirements.

Please share your input by completing the survey below


The purpose of this survey is to capture feedback from the residents of Dover as to the best place in Dover to overlay a zoning district that fully complies with the Act. To jumpstart this process, Dover has identified three potential locations which are outlined in the survey.


Want to learn more before you complete the survey?

Dover has developed a page on its website with information on the Act and what it means for Dover. Before you take this survey, please fully review the information on the website, which includes:

  • General information on the Act
  • Dover’s specific obligations under the Act and a timeline to compliance
  • A list of Frequently Asked Questions
  • A DRAFT MBTA Communities section for Dover’s zoning bylaws
  • A link to an initial analysis of potential locations

Thank you in advance for taking the time to share you feedback and input with Dover.
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