Massachusetts Moves Zoning Reform Bill Forward

"The Massachusetts State Senate today voted 23-15 to pass the zoning reform bill, S.2311, after approximately three hours or so of debate and ammendments [sic]. Twenty of 63 ammendments [sic] were adopted, with the rest either defeated or withdrawn," reports Mathew M. Robare.

According to Robare, the bill has teeth: "the as-of-right multifamily provision establishes a minimum density of eight units per acre for rural communitiers [sic] and 15 for others and if municipalities don’t comply, courts can provide relief."

For more background on the bill, Shira Schoenberg previewed the Senate vote earlier this week for MassLive.com. That article presents the opposing sides in a debate about whether the zoning reform bill would support or stymie new development. According to Schoenberg, the state's "zoning laws have not been comprehensively updated since 1975," and "[planners] say they are outdated and discourage development." Planners have given the zoning reform bill passed by the State Senate mixed reviews, however, according to Schoenberg.

According to Robare, the bill will still require approval by the Massachusetts House of Representatives and a signature by Governor Charles Baker.