Letters to the Editor

Winthrop Could’ve Easily Been in Compliance

Dear Editor,

I assume most local news viewers and readers learned that Winthrop is now one of the 9 communities that State Atty. General Andrea Campbell will be suing for its non-compliance with the MBTA Communities/Section 3A.  There was an easier way to avoid costly tax-payer suit and the loss of state grant money for things like flooding and tree planting. 

Like myself and others, the Winthrop Planning Board, back in 2024, was very much concerned about Winthrop’s density of about 19.5 thousand people living on roughly 1.6 miles of our small peninsula.  In turn, they proposed  a 3A plan that assigned overlays to both Governor’s Park and Seal Harbor and gave Winthrop “credit” for the Center Business District’s (CBD’s)  221 housing unit development as part of the 2014 CBD rezoning.

The Planning Board (PB) offered a plan of 3A compliance, continued grant monies, avoidance of expensive law suits for non-compliance with 3A, and no new units.  Unfortunately, the Winthrop Town Council, on Nov.19, 2024, voted against the much-researched and 3A compliant plan.

I personally researched and counted 32 housing developments that had been undertaken since the late 1960’s and early 1970’s that documented Winthrop already satisfying its “fair share” of much-needed housing development in the state.  The PB also considered Winthrop’s generous housing contribution.

I personally have witnessed younger, talented, once Winthrop residents moving to other states, because buying/renting housing where they worked in the Greater Boston area was scarce and consequently too pricey.

In my mind, to avoid a taxpayer-paid lawsuit by AG Campbell for 3A noncompliance, the Winthrop Town Council leaders and members need to be in quick touch with the AG’s office to seriously deal with the “no-brainer” plan that the housing experts on the Planning Board proposed back in 2024.  Hopefully it’s not too late.

???????Sincerely,

???????Donna Segreti Reilly