ROCHESTER — Rochester is unlikely to be required to provide additional multi-family housing units as a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority community, according to State Representative Bill Straus.

There is “no need to set off any alarms,” Straus said.

Straus visited the Rochester Select Board meeting on Monday, June 27, along with State Sen. Michael Rodrigues, to discuss new state legislation that affects communities in or near MBTA transportation lines.

The legislation requires communities to provide affordable housing in communities along the MBTA routes. Concerns have been raised that this would impact Rochester, which abuts Middleboro, the site of an MBTA stop.

Based on population numbers, this could require Rochester to add 750 additional units of multi-family housing.

“We were caught a little off-guard,” said Select Board member Woody Hartley. “We were concerned about the number” of housing units.

Town Planner Nancy Durfee said she was unsure of how Rochester would find a “location of that magnitude.”

“Rochester is square in the middle as the poster child of where the stretches of the MBTA guidelines ended up going,” said Town Counsel Blair Bailey. “We don’t have any stops, we’re not on the route, but what they’re requiring of Rochester as an adjoining community doesn’t make any sense.”

Town Administrator Glenn Cannon described the requirement as “literally crushing” for a town like Rochester, which only has about 6,000 residents.

Straus clarified that the statute is “a very short provision” about a multi-family housing zoning requirement in association with MBTA communities.

“I think there’s ambiguity, and that could be what has drawn Rochester into this,” he said.

Straus clarified that the “adjacent community” ruling was not in the statute itself, and was only included in guidelines outlined by Governor Charlie Baker’s administration.

Rodrigues noted that in January, there would be “a new sheriff in town” after the November election, since Baker is not seeking reelection.

The new administration would be in charge of enforcing the regulations, Rodrigues said, which could change the current situation.

“To me, it’s entirely a town call,” Straus said. “If you felt the need for multi-family housing, you can do that, but I don’t think you’re required to.”

He added that, “I just don’t think what’s been set down is grounded by the statute and the statute is what governs, not the regulations.”

Straus concluded with the Select Board that the next steps would be to continue to monitor the regulations, which are still in draft form.

He said that he plans to continue to watch the situation closely, as will Cannon and Durfee.