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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4487 FILED ON: 3/7/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3923
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Christine P. Barber
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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 granting the city of Somerville the authority to require the adoption of institutional
master plans subject to the review and approval by the municipality.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex3/7/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4487 FILED ON: 3/7/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3923
By Representative Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3923) of
Christine P. Barber (with the approval of the mayor and board of aldermen) that the city of
Somerville be authorized to impose municipal reviews on institutional master plans of certain
institutional facilities. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3745 OF 2023-2024.]
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 granting the city of Somerville the authority to require the adoption of institutional
master plans subject to the review and approval by the municipality.
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. The purpose of this legislation is to promote and facilitate the coordinated
2and predictable development of larger-scale institutional facilities. The legislation permits the
3City to require the adoption of an institutional master plan, as described below in Section 2. An
4institutional master plan is a land-use and development plan for all land owned or used by an
5institution within a community, that identifies growth and development over a number of years,
6or in several phases. The master plan provides a tool to assure the community that strategies and
7development impacts are addressed through the review and adoption of the plan, while providing
8predictable outcomes for any planned growth of the institution. 2 of 2
9 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding G. L. c. 40A, ยง 3 or other applicable law, the City of
10Somerville is hereby authorized to adopt local legislation imposing institutional master plan
11review to regulate the use of land or structures for land owned, leased, or otherwise occupied by
12hospitals, health care institutions , colleges, universities, and non- profit educational
13corporations.
14 SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.