A hotly debated issue in Needham - how much new housing to build under the state's MBTA Communities Act.

After months of campaigning, a heated debate over a state-mandated plan that would have made it easier to build multifamily housing in parts of Needham came to a head Tuesday when voters soundly rejected the new zoning.

In a closely watched special election Tuesday night, Needham voted to repeal new zoning that would have made the town compliant with a controversial Massachusetts law that aims to create more housing in communities served by the MBTA.

NEEDHAM — Voters in Needham Tuesday soundly rejected a plan that would have paved the way for the production of more multifamily housing in this suburban town of 32,000 and aligned it with a much-debated state housing law.

Massachusetts' highest court just decided the state could force certain communities to allow multi-family housing. Will Needham comply?

The proposal would have created capacity for roughly 3,300 units near two of the town's commuter rail station stops.

Opponents of Needham’s plan to allow more multifamily housing under the MBTA Communities law defeated the measure on Tuesday.

Residents of the suburban town head to the polls on Tuesday to vote on a plan to create more housing under a new state law. Milton voted no, and the town is still paying the price.

Needham residents voted down a plan to bring the town into compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. A Philadelphia sports fan who went off on a misogynistic tirade against a female Green Bay Packers fan in a viral video won't be allowed to ever attend another Eagles home game.

Needham voters have soundly rejected new zoning meant to allow more housing development, just a week after the Supreme Judicial Court upheld a law requiring them to do so. The zoning would have gone well above Needham’s responsibilities under the MBTA Communities Act,