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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 737 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1300
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
John F. Keenan
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the term of special permits.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth 1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 737 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1300
By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1300) of John F. Keenan relative to
the term of special permits under the zoning laws. Municipalities and Regional Government.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2172 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to the term of special permits.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 9 of chapter 40A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the fifteenth paragraph and inserting in place
3thereof the following paragraph:–
4 Zoning ordinances or by-laws shall provide that a special permit granted under this
5section shall lapse within a specified period of time, not less than 3 years from the date of filing
6of such approval with the city or town clerk, which shall not include such time required to pursue
7or await the determination of an appeal referred to in section seventeen, from the grant thereof, if
8a substantial use thereof has not sooner commenced except for good cause, or in the cause of a
9permit for construction, if construction has not begun by such date except for good cause.