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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3838 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2302
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Kristin E. Kassner
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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 to expand designation of priority development sites.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kristin E. Kassner2nd Essex1/17/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3838 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2302
By Representative Kassner of Hamilton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2302) of
Kristin E. Kassner for legislation to expand designation of priority development sites.
Municipalities and Regional Government.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to expand designation of priority development sites.
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 2 of chapter 43D of the General Laws, as amended by section 176
2of chapter 238 of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by inserting before the definition of
3“Governing body” the following definition:-
4 "Community development plan", a comprehensive, strategic plan for the future of a city
5or town, which shall include, but not be limited to, a plan for: (i) new housing opportunities; (ii)
6any new commercial or industrial economic development; (iii) existing infrastructure that needs
7to serve new uses, including, but not limited to uses for water, transportation, housing or
8electricity; (iv) transportation infrastructure; (v) climate change and resiliency; or (vi) open
9space.
10 SECTION 2. Section 3 of said chapter 43D, as appearing in section 177 of said chapter
11238, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following
12subsection:- 2 of 3
13 (a) In order for a property to receive a designation as a priority development site, the site
14or infrastructure need shall: (i) be approved by a town meeting in a town; (ii) be identified in a
15local comprehensive master plan, housing needs assessment, economic development plan,
16district or corridor plan or community development plan; (iii) be identified in a local capital
17improvement plan or a plan developed by a regional planning agency; or (iv) be part of a project
18approved by the planning board or special permit granting authority. The governing body shall
19file a formal proposal with the interagency permitting board. The proposal shall include: (A) a
20detailed description of the property; (B) attestation of the governing body’s good faith
21commitment to comply with this chapter; (C) written authorization of the property or utility
22owner as applicable; and (D) at the discretion of the governing body, a request for a technical
23assistance grant.
24 SECTION 3. Said chapter 43D is hereby further amended by inserting after section 13
25the following section:-
26 Section 13A. (a) Technical assistance funding is intended to be a one-time grant to
27municipality, if the municipality has adopted expedited permitting as provided in sections 3 to
2811, inclusive.
29 (b) A municipality shall be eligible for technical assistance funding, which may be less
30than the previous amounts awarded, for a second time if it has identified and successfully
31permitted 1 priority development site.
32 (c) The secretaries of the executive office of housing and livable communities, the
33executive office of economic development and the executive office of energy and environmental
34affairs, collectively, shall develop and implement a 2-year program to provide technical 3 of 3
35assistance and resources to cities and towns for the purpose of creating community development
36plans. Such assistance may include the provision of in-kind services or discretionary funds where
37appropriate.