CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Fasulo Will Fight Beacon Hill’s Attempts To Take Zoning Decisions Out Of Wilmington’s Control

Greetings, Wilmington.

In this week’s letter, I want to talk about something that goes beyond any one issue or vote. It’s the growing push by Beacon Hill to take zoning decisions out of the hands of local communities like ours.

I have been very clear in my opposition to the MBTA Communities Act, also known as 3A. From the beginning, my overall concern has been about local control. Decisions about how Wilmington grows should be made by the people who live here and pay taxes here, through Town Meeting, not dictated by those who will not be impacted by those decisions.

Unfortunately, 3A is just one piece of a much larger trend.

There are additional proposals being discussed on Beacon Hill that would go even further. One example is a question on this year’s state ballot that would change the State’s Constitution and require cities and towns to allow single-family homes to be built “by right” on lots as small as 5,000 square feet, as long as certain infrastructure is in place. In a town like Wilmington, where zoning has traditionally required larger lots, that would be a major change imposed from the outside that would be disastrous.

We have already seen the state move in this direction with detached accessory dwelling units, or in-law apartments. While Wilmington had already allowed ADUs, the broader issue is that the state is now stepping in and setting those rules, rather than leaving them up to each individual community.

Beyond individual legislative bills, there have also been broader discussions at the state level about reducing or even eliminating traditional single-family zoning altogether statewide. When you look at all of this together, it is clear that this is not about one law. It is a pattern of shifting decision-making away from local residents and toward centralized regional control.

To be very clear, I understand that housing affordability is a real issue, and it deserves attention. But a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. Wilmington is not Boston, or Woburn, or Amherst, or Burlington. What works in one community may not work in another. That is exactly why local control matters.

Many of these mandates will come with real costs, whether it is infrastructure upgrades, water capacity, public safety needs, quality of life, or school impacts. Those costs will be borne by the local municipalities and taxpayers, which are already under significant financial stress. I am especially concerned about the impact this could have on our seniors, many of whom are already struggling to keep up with rising property taxes.

Zoning is one of the most important tools a town has. It shapes our neighborhoods, our roads, our schools, and ultimately the kind of community we live in. Those decisions should remain in the hands of the people of Wilmington.

My position on 3A has always been about more than just that one law. It is about standing up for the right of our town, which is more than capable of making its own decisions.

If elected, I will continue to be a strong voice for Wilmington’s home rule authority and push back against any effort that takes local control away from its residents.

Thank you,
Rob Fasulo