HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2269        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1297

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

_________________

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 streamlining permitting for housing.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/17/2019

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/17/2019

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

1/17/2019

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

1/30/2019

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

1/31/2019

Randy Hunt

5th Barnstable

1/28/2019

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

1/30/2019

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/30/2019

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

1/31/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2269        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1297

By Mr. Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1297) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others for legislation to expedite the permitting process for housing.  Housing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act streamlining permitting for housing.

 

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. Section 2 of chapter 43D of the General Laws as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after the definition “Governing body”, the following new definition:-

“Housing Priority Zone”, a privately or publicly owned property, a zoning district or a zoning overlay district zoned and designated for the development or redevelopment of housing which: (1) exceeds the allowable unit density by a minimum of 10 percent greater than the density allowed prior to designation as a priority zone; (2) includes a minimum of 40% of its units as affordable to those earning 80% or less of an area median income; (3) may incorporate the use of zoning methods known as cluster development, as defined in Section 9 of Chapter 40A of the General Laws, or open space residential design; and (4) is designated a priority development site by the board, in consultation with the department of housing and community development.

SECTION 2. Chapter 43D of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting, after section 16, the following new section:-

Section 17. For the purposes of determining consistency with the definition of “consistent with local needs” contained in section 20 of chapter 40B, a housing unit developed in a housing priority zone shall be credited at the rate of 1.75 units upon the issuance of a building permit.

SECTION 3. The provisions of this Act shall expire five years following the date of its passage unless otherwise terminated, modified or extended.