MBTA Zoning Maps

Marblehead will permit multi-family housing in three areas shown below. Notably, there are no vacant lots in any of these areas. All of them already contain multi-family housing. This housing either predates the zoning laws or was permitted through one of many existing processes such as a special permit, a variance, or Chapter 40B.

Where are the zones?

Marblehead's zones are centered on Tioga Way, Pleasant Street and Broughton Road. There are no open spaces, conservation lands, or parks included in these zones. Each already contains multi-family housing.

Marblehead's Planning Board's specifically selected these sites to minimize any possible impact on the town. If the town does not approve this plan, the state may create a different plan with different objectives.

A closer look at each zone is presented below.

Broughton Road

The Broughton Road district consists entirely of an existing multi-family housing development run by the Marblehead Housing Authority. The MHA is in talks to redevelop this area. Those discussions are separate from the MBTA zoning proposal.

Broughton Road already contains and will contain multi-family housing for the foreseeable future regardless of how we comply with 3A.

Pleasant Street

The Pleasant Street zone contains a mix of single-family housing, multi-family housing, and commercial properties on dozens of small, independently-owned lots.

It includes some well-established business which are clearly not for sale, such as National Grand Bank and Shubie's Marketplace, as well as some run-down, underutilized buildings that have potential for redevelopment.

In our view, it would be good for the town to add some housing in this area. It is highly walkable and includes restaurants, bars, grocery stores, and the Warwick Theater. The bus runs right through it. People who work in town could walk or bike to work from here. Seniors who no longer drive could live here independently.

Given the small size of the lots in this zone, new housing here would likely involve a handful of units, ideally located above retail space.

Tioga Way

The Tioga Way zone is currently zoned as "Unrestricted" and contains Elbridge Lane, a multi-family development permitted under Chapter 40R, Marblehead Highlands, a multi-family housing development permitted under Chapter 40B, and Sailmaker Place, another 40B development under construction.

There are no remaining empty lots in this zone.