Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2692 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2908 FILED ON: 12/21/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2692
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Sal N. DiDomenico
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to economic development on the Mystic River.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2908 FILED ON: 12/21/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2692
18	18	By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2692) (subject to Joint Rule 9
19	19	and Joint Rule 12) of Sal N. DiDomenico for legislation relative to the development of a
20	20	professional soccer stadium and a waterfront park on part of the Mystic River designated port
21	21	area. Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
25	25	(2023-2024)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act relative to economic development on the Mystic River.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a certain
31	31	2parcel of land located at 173 Alford street situated partly in the city of Everett and partly in the
32	32	3city of Boston shall be removed from and not be considered to be within the boundaries or a part
33	33	4of the Mystic River designated port area pursuant to 310 C.M.R. 25 and 310 C.M.R. 9 or any
34	34	5other applicable law, rule or regulation; provided, however, that such removal shall only be for
35	35	6the purpose of converting the parcel into a professional soccer stadium and a waterfront park.
36	36	7The parcel consists of approximately 43.11 acres and is located on the southeasterly side of
37	37	8Alford street, on the southwesterly side of Dexter street and bounded southerly by the Mystic
38	38	9river and is more particularly described in a deed recorded in the land court department of the
39	39	10Middlesex southern district registry district as document No. 1554521 and recorded with the
40	40	11Middlesex southern district registry of deeds in book 56211, page 350 and also recorded in the
41	41	12land court department in the Suffolk county registry deeds as document No. 786425 and 2 of 3
42	42	13recorded in the Suffolk county registry of deeds in book 47428, page 145. Site redevelopment on
43	43	14the parcel shall be subject to licensing in accordance with 310 C.M.R. 9 as a nonwater-dependent
44	44	15use.
45	45	16 (b) If the professional soccer stadium and waterfront park fail to be permitted and
46	46	17constructed within a reasonable time after the effective date of this act, as determined by the
47	47	18secretary of energy and environmental affairs, then subsection (a) shall be void and the port area
48	48	19designation and corresponding use restrictions under 310 C.M.R. 25 and 310 C.M.R. 9 shall be
49	49	20restored to the parcel; provided, however, that such determination of a reasonable time period
50	50	21shall not be made sooner than 5 years after the effective date of this act.
51	51	22 Nothing in this section shall be construed to exempt or alter the site’s obligations under
52	52	23chapter 91 of the General Laws or 310 C.M.R. 9 beyond designated port area-related use
53	53	24restrictions.
54	54	25 (c) The department of environmental protection, in consultation with the office of costal
55	55	26zone management, shall: (i) complete a review of existing designated port area criteria and use
56	56	27restrictions; and (ii) update relevant regulations based on the results of the review; provided,
57	57	28however, that updates to regulations shall include, but not be limited to: (A) the protection of
58	58	29traditional maritime industrial activities; (B) the addition of allowable uses consistent with future
59	59	30maritime industrial uses and clean energy activities; (C) the reevaluation of compatible uses
60	60	31within designated port areas; (D) a requirement, to the extent feasible, that all traditional and new
61	61	32allowed uses be resilient to coastal flood damage; (E) examining the feasibility of creating
62	62	33working port easements to purchase development rights from landowners in designated port
63	63	34areas; (F) opportunities to create grants and revolving loan funds to update port infrastructure, 3 of 3
64	64	35including conversion from 1 designated port area use to another designated port area use; (G)
65	65	36consideration of coastal flood resilience for inland neighborhoods; and (H) an assessment of new
66	66	37and adjacent areas that could be added to designated port areas to reduce net loss of acreage.
67	67	38 (d) Except for the boundary adjustment provided for in subsection (a), there shall be no
68	68	39boundary adjustments to designated port areas until the review required in subsection (c) is
69	69	40completed; provided, however, that the department and the office may continue to conduct
70	70	41boundary reviews.
71	71	42 (e) The commonwealth, having previously transferred control to, and taken on the behalf
72	72	43of the city of Boston a certain parcel of land situated in the city of Boston, being a part of a state
73	73	44highway location, Layout No. 5242 dated September 11, 1962, and shown as Parcel No. 8 in an
74	74	45Order of Taking recorded with said Layout No. 5242 in the Suffolk county registry of deeds in
75	75	46book 7681, page 307, and as shown on the plan filed therewith, and also shown as parcel
76	76	470201831001 on the city of Boston assessors’ maps, shall transfer, remise, and release to the city
77	77	48of Boston any interest the commonwealth may have in such parcel.