SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1789        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 97

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Nine

_______________

An Act to promote livable communities and zoning reform act..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  (a) the land and waters within the Commonwealth possess distinct natural, scientific, historical, scenic, cultural, architectural, archeological, recreational, economic, agricultural and other values

(b) there is a national, regional, state, and local, interest in preserving and enhancing these values; and these values are being threatened and may be irreparably damaged by uncoordinated or inappropriate uses of the Commonwealth’s land and resources.

(c) the obligation to protect the many valuable resources of the Commonwealth is shared by local, regional, state and national governments, civic organizations, businesses and the general public.

(d) these resources are being adversely affected by a lack of effective and coordinated planning among the various levels of government and a lack of adequate funding and technical assistance for municipalities.

(e) these resources can be protected if each level of government participates in sustainable planning for smart growth.

Section 2.(a) State principles and goals

(1) state policies and spending decisions should encourage growth in appropriate and identified places. 

(2) state resources should be targeted to support development in areas where infrastructure is already in place.

(3) state polices and spending decisions should not encourage or subsidize sprawl.

(4) state policies and spending decisions should discourage growth in environmentally sensitive areas in order to protect the Commonwealth’s most valuable remaining natural resources before they are lost.