Tonight is yet another meeting of the Milton Planning Board (four of five members are opposed to MBTA Communities Act compliance). Before they discuss whether or not to submit an action plan that states that the town intends to comply with the emergency regulations, they discuss an ADU zoning article. The state, of course, has forced Milton’s (and every other town’s) hand and legalized ADUs in single family zoning districts statewide. The debate about drafting an ADU zoning article hit a bump in the road when the PB discovered that the state had a definition of subway in the regulations. Uh oh. That definition of subway included our mighty trolley.

The loyal opposition was loathe to concede an inch. Planning Board member Sean Fahy took to google to come up with his preferred subway definition. Google does not mention the Mattapan trolley. Neither does the Bible, Torah and any religious text.

What a web they weave! “We don’t have a subway station, arguably,” said Maggie Oldfield. Hmm. Almost sounds like a concession. “It’s a trolley stop not a trolley station.” “I’ve lived in this town for 56 years…” Let’s vote on this. A 3-2 vote. Members Fahy, Davis and Oldfield vote for using “stop”, not “station” as the state suggests. Jim Davis admits that the Attorney General will reject what they just voted on.

And then finally another vote. Nearly three years after the forces of “no” killed an ADU article at town meeting, and subsequently promised to bring another one back in a few months, the Milton Planning Board tonight voted unanimously to submit an ADU article to the February special town meeting…after being forced by the state. State mandates do work!