Healey economic development bill would replace Super Town Meeting with a single regional vote

A major economic development bill filed by Gov. Maura Healey on Beacon Hill yesterday contains a provision that would significantly restructure how zoning changes at Devens and amendments to the Devens Reuse Plan are approved, replacing the existing super town meeting process with a single regionwide vote conducted by MassDevelopment, the state's quasi-public development finance agency. The changes, if passed and signed into law, would take effect Jan.1, 2027.

Under current law, amendments to the Devens Reuse Plan and zoning bylaws must be approved by a majority vote of each of the three towns party to the agreement, Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley, meeting separately on the same date and time. Healey’s bill would replace that procedure with a single meeting convened by MassDevelopment at one location in or near Devens. 

Any voter registered in one of the three towns, including Devens residents, would be eligible to vote at that meeting. Because Devens is not an independent municipality, its residents register to vote in the town whose historical boundaries encompass their address. The bill directs the clerks of Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley to verify the registration status of all attendees, with MassDevelopment covering the costs of that work.

The legislation, which the Healey administration has named the “Mass. Wins” bill, gives MassDevelopment sole authority to propose changes to the Devens Reuse Plan and zoning at the former U.S. Army base. MassDevelopment would draft the legislation and hold at least two public hearings to hear public comment. 

MassDevelopment, rather than the towns, would convene the meeting and present its changes. A quorum of just 50 voters would be sufficient to conduct business. A simple majority vote in favor of MassDevelopment changes by those in attendance would be sufficient to pass them. Attendees would have no ability to amend the legislation from the floor—only an up-or-down vote would be permitted. Once passed, the changes would become effective immediately.

In a letter to State House legislators, Healey said her proposal  would “reform the way zoning changes are made in Devens to ensure the community’s zoning bylaws can be amended in a timely way and enable the meaningful participation of Devens residents as well as surrounding municipalities.”

Officials in Ayer, Harvard, Shirley and Devens could not immediately be reached for comment. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.