Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S885 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. 1841 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 885
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jason M. Lewis, (BY REQUEST)
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 for Chapter 40B reform and improvement.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Vincent Lawrence Dixon60 Lake Street Unit N, Winchester MA
16	16	01890 1 of 3
17	17	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1841 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
18	18	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 885
19	19	By Mr. Lewis (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 885) of Vincent
20	20	Lawrence Dixon for legislation for Chapter 40B reform and improvement. Housing.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 896 OF 2021-2022.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act for Chapter 40B reform and improvement.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION I. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the
32	32	2 following new chapter:
33	33	3 Chapter 40B Reform And Improvement (Providing for Important Environmental Impact
34	34	4Review, by local municipal bodies, and other appropriate adjustments).
35	35	5 SECTION II – PURPOSE
36	36	6 Chapter 40B provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws, have proven to be
37	37	7 controversial, and needing adjustments, and reform. This legislation is designed to
38	38	8provide such 2 of 3
39	39	9 appropriate reforms, and needed adjustments, while recognizing that various public
40	40	10policy concerns, including affordable housing needs remain, and need to be provided for.
41	41	11 SECTION III – REQUIRED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW – AND STANDARDS
42	42	12 1.) All projects qualifying under Chapter 40B provisions, must still be reviewed, and
43	43	13 qualified by local municipal authorities, in regards to environmental impact, and
44	44	14Environmental
45	45	15 Impact Review reporting (EIR). No Chapter 40B project, may be exempted from
46	46	16environmental
47	47	17 review, and approval by the local municipality, in which it would be created, and
48	48	18constructed.
49	49	19 2.) All Chapter 40B projects, must conform to any conservation land, wetland, and
50	50	20 watershed protections; and approval of such projects, must include review by municipal
51	51	21 conservation commissions.
52	52	22 3.) Other relevant government bodies, including regional commissions, and housing
53	53	23 authorities, shall review any such projects.
54	54	24 4.) Comprehensive state planning, and coordination, must be referenced in terms of these
55	55	25 projects; including issues of neighborhood, and community-friendly developers; high-
56	56	26quality 3 of 3
57	57	27 lasting construction standards; and relevant modest, to medium intensity, regional transit
58	58	28options.