LAKEVILLE — While towns across Massachusetts are under pressure to create zoning for dense housing near MBTA stations, the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District believes that Lakeville’s current zoning is compliant with the state’s requirements.

Lakeville appears to be in compliance with the state’s requirements, said Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District Planner Taylor Perez. She added that the organization cannot be sure of Lakeville’s compliance until its status is confirmed by the state.

The town will submit an application to determine if Lakeville’s current zoning complies with the state’s dense housing mandate, the Planning Board agreed at an April 13 meeting.

“We’re not making a decision [about changing zoning] at this point,” said Planning Board Chair Mark Knox. “We’re just sending an application to see if we comply, with the caveat that [Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District] thinks we comply.”

There are currently high-density housing units near the current Lakeville MBTA Commuter Rail station, which will close in December to be replaced by a station in Middleboro. 

Because its station is closing, Lakeville is designated as an adjacent small town, meaning it has to zone for fewer housing units than towns serviced by MBTA. Lakeville has to accommodate 231 additional multi-family housing units, according to state regulations.

One of the town’s priorities is to explore expanding the dense housing options near the current Lakeville station, according to Lakeville’s housing production plan.

“There’s high-density housing there already,” Knox said. “It’s already zoned for it and it’s already built. We’re not creating another zone” when the town submits its compliance application.

Planning Board member Michele MacEachern said that she does not see why there is a rush to submit an application because Lakeville does not have to comply until the end of 2025.

“We have plenty of time to figure it out and meet with other towns,” MacEachern said.

Planning Board member Jack Lynch agreed. 

Lynch said that he would like to speak with Freetown, the other town in the regional school district shared with Lakeville, to learn about its compliance status and how it could affect the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District before making any final decisions about Lakeville’s compliance.

Freetown is designated as a Commuter Rail community. It has to zone for an additional 750 multi-family units, according to state regulations.

Compliance “would adversely affect the school system,” Lynch said. “So, is the state going to help us financially?”