Massachusetts Statutes

Section 8H. A city, town, or district may establish, by approval of the local legislative body, a recycling program for the purpose of recycling any type of solid waste including but not limited to paper, glass, metal, rubber, plastics, used tires and compostable waste. The progr…

Section 8I. A city or town which accepts this section may establish an energy resources commission, hereinafter called the commission, for the promotion and development of the energy resources of said city or town. Such commission shall: (1) develop and administer programs relati…

Section 8J. A city which accepts the provisions of this section by vote of its city council, subject to the provisions of its charter, or a town which accepts the provisions of this section at an annual or special town meeting, may establish a commission on disability, hereinafte…

Section 8K. A city by ordinance or a town by by-law may establish a mapping commission for the purpose of developing or coordinating the development of comprehensive maps of the municipality, including, but not limited to, parcel boundaries, location of utility lines, pipelines, …

Section 8L. (a) For the purposes of this section ''farming'' and ''agriculture'' shall have the same meaning as ascribed to them in section 1A of chapter 128. (b) A municipality which accepts this section may establish a municipal agricultural commission to promote and develop th…

Section 9. A city or town may, for the purpose of providing suitable headquarters for such post or posts of any veterans' organization incorporated or chartered by the congress of the United States, as have been in operation for at least three years, or for the purpose of providi…

Section 1. This chapter shall be known and may by cited as ''The Zoning Act''.

Section 10. The permit granting authority shall have the power after public hearing for which notice has been given by publication and posting as provided in section eleven and by mailing to all parties in interest to grant upon appeal or upon petition with respect to particular …

Section 11. In all cases where notice of a public hearing is required notice shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town once in each of two successive weeks, the first publication to be not less than fourteen days before the day of the…

Section 12. Zoning ordinances or by-laws shall provide for a zoning board of appeals, according to the provisions of this section, unless otherwise provided by charter. The mayor subject to confirmation of the city council, or board of selectmen shall appoint members of the board…

Section 13. A zoning ordinance or by-law may authorize the appointment of a zoning administrator, who, unless otherwise provided by charter, shall be appointed by the board of appeals, subject to confirmation by the city council or board of selectmen, to serve at the pleasure of …

Section 14. A board of appeals shall have the following powers:— (1) To hear and decide appeals in accordance with section eight. (2) To hear and decide applications for special permits upon which the board is empowered to act under said ordinance or by-laws. (3) To hear and deci…

Section 15. Any appeal under section eight to a permit granting authority shall be taken within thirty days from the date of the order or decision which is being appealed. The petitioner shall file a notice of appeal specifying the grounds thereof, with the city or town clerk, an…

Section 16. No appeal, application or petition which has been unfavorably and finally acted upon by the special permit granting or permit granting authority shall be acted favorably upon within two years after the date of final unfavorable action unless said special permit granti…

Section 17. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the board of appeals or any special permit granting authority or by the failure of the board of appeals to take final action concerning any appeal, application or petition within the required time or by the failure of any special …

Section 1A. As used in this chapter the following words shall have the following meanings: ''Accessory dwelling unit'', a self-contained housing unit, inclusive of sleeping, cooking and sanitary facilities on the same lot as a principal dwelling, subject to otherwise applicable d…

Section 3. No zoning ordinance or by-law shall regulate or restrict the use of materials, or methods of construction of structures regulated by the state building code, nor shall any such ordinance or by-law prohibit, unreasonably regulate, or require a special permit for the use…

Section 3A. (a)(1) An MBTA community shall have a zoning ordinance or by-law that provides for at least 1 district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right; provided, however, that such multi-family housing shall be without age restrictions and sh…

Section 3B. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: ''Commission'', the alcoholic beverages control commission, established by section 70 of chapter 10. ''Outdoor table service'', restaura…

Section 4. Any zoning ordinance or by-law which divides cities and towns into districts shall be uniform within the district for each class or kind of structures or uses permitted. Districts shall be shown on a zoning map in a manner sufficient for identification. Such maps shall…

Section 5. Zoning ordinances or by-laws may be adopted and from time to time changed by amendment, addition or repeal, but only in the manner hereinafter provided. Adoption or change of zoning ordinances or by-laws may be initiated by the submission to the city council or board o…

Section 6. Except as hereinafter provided, a zoning ordinance or by-law shall not apply to structures or uses lawfully in existence or lawfully begun, or to a building or special permit issued before the first publication of notice of the public hearing on such ordinance or by-la…

Section 7. The inspector of buildings, building commissioner or local inspector, or if there are none, in a town, the board of selectmen, or person or board designated by local ordinance or by-law, shall be charged with the enforcement of the zoning ordinance or by-law and shall …

Section 8. An appeal to the permit granting authority as the zoning ordinance or by-law may provide, may be taken by any person aggrieved by reason of his inability to obtain a permit or enforcement action from any administrative officer under the provisions of this chapter, by t…

Section 9. Zoning ordinances or by-laws shall provide for specific types of uses which shall only be permitted in specified districts upon the issuance of a special permit. Special permits may be issued only for uses which are in harmony with the general purpose and intent of the…

Section 9A. Zoning ordinances or by-laws may provide for special permits authorizing the establishment of adult bookstores, adult motion picture theaters, adult paraphernalia stores, adult video stores or establishments which display live nudity for their patrons as hereinafter d…

Section 9B. Zoning ordinances or by-laws adopted or amended pursuant to section five of this chapter may encourage the use of solar energy systems and protect solar access by regulation of the orientation of streets, lots and buildings, maximum building height limits, minimum bui…

Section 9C. As used in this section, the term ''child care facility'' shall mean a child care center or a school-aged child care program, as defined in section 1A of chapter 15D. When any zoning ordinance or bylaw in any city or town limits the floor area of any structure, such f…

Section 1. This chapter shall be designated and may be known as ''The regional planning law''.

Section 10. Upon the designation of the regional planning and economic development district by the secretary of economic development, all cities and towns within the boundaries of the district shall become members of the district. The secretary of economic development may from ti…

Section 11. If the district boundary of the regional planning and economic development district established in accordance with section nine includes a majority of cities and towns organized as a regional planning district pursuant to this chapter, said regional planning district …

Section 12. In the regional planning and economic development district established pursuant to section nine, there shall be a regional planning and economic development commission which shall consist of the mayor of each city, or in a city that has a Plan D or Plan E form of gove…

Section 13. Twenty-one persons residing within the district shall be appointed to an advisory committee for the purpose of providing advice and guidance to said commission and said persons shall be representative of business, labor, professional and civic organizations and other …

Section 14. The regional planning and economic development district established under the provisions of section nine shall have the following powers and duties: (a) to adopt a corporate seal; (b) to sue and be sued, but only to the same extent and upon the same conditions that a …

Section 15. The commission shall elect annually at its meeting held in the month of June by and from its members a chairman, a vice-chairman, a secretary and a treasurer, each of whom shall hold office until his successor is elected and qualified. The commission shall from time t…

Section 16. The commission shall employ, and may remove, an executive director, who shall be qualified by education, training and experience in economic development, regional and program planning, and community relations. The executive director, on behalf of and with the approval…

Section 17. The commission is authorized to enter into contracts and agreements with any department, agency or subdivision of federal or state government and any individual, corporation, association or public authority to provide or to receive services, facilities, staff assistan…

Section 18. The commission so established shall not later than fifty days from the issuance of a certificate of organization by the state secretary prepare an estimate of the amount of money required to pay the costs and expenses of the district for the current fiscal year and, i…

Section 19. There shall be a mutual exchange between the commission and all agencies of the commonwealth and of each political subdivision thereof within the district, of data, records, and information within their knowledge and control pertaining to the district, or to parts the…

Section 2. The purpose of this chapter is to permit a city or town to plan jointly with cities or towns to promote with the greatest efficiency and economy the co-ordinated and orderly development of the areas within their jurisdiction and the general welfare and prosperity of th…

Section 20. The following words, wherever used in this section and in sections twenty-one to twenty-three, inclusive, shall, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context, have the following meanings:— ''Low or moderate income housing'', any housing subsidized by th…

Section 21. Any public agency or limited dividend or nonprofit organization proposing to build low or moderate income housing may submit to the board of appeals, established under section twelve of chapter forty A, a single application to build such housing in lieu of separate ap…

Section 22. Whenever an application filed under the provisions of section twenty-one is denied, or is granted with such conditions and requirements as to make the building or operation of such housing uneconomic, the applicant shall have the right to appeal to the housing appeals…

Section 23. The hearing by the housing appeals committee in the executive office of housing and livable communities shall be limited to the issue of whether, in the case of the denial of an application, the decision of the board of appeals was reasonable and consistent with local…

Section 24. There shall be a metropolitan area planning council, in this section and in sections twenty-five to twenty-nine, inclusive, called the council. Said council shall consist of one representative from each city and town of the metropolitan area planning district who shal…

Section 25. The council shall elect annually by and from its members a president, vice-president, secretary and a treasurer, each of whom shall hold his office until his successor is elected and qualified. Election of said officers shall be held annually in the month of May, and …