HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3255 FILED ON: 1/18/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1768
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Michelle L. Ciccolo
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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 relative to municipal form based codes.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Michelle L. Ciccolo | 15th Middlesex | 1/18/2019 |
John J. Lawn, Jr. | 10th Middlesex | 1/28/2019 |
Stephan Hay | 3rd Worcester | 1/29/2019 |
Natalie M. Higgins | 4th Worcester | 1/30/2019 |
José F. Tosado | 9th Hampden | 1/31/2019 |
Mindy Domb | 3rd Hampshire | 1/31/2019 |
Mike Connolly | 26th Middlesex | 2/1/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3255 FILED ON: 1/18/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1768
By Mrs. Ciccolo of Lexington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1768) of Michelle L. Ciccolo and others for legislation to authorize the use of form-based zoning in cities and towns. Municipalities and Regional Government. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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An Act relative to municipal form based codes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Section 1A of chapter 40A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:
“Form-based zoning”, means text and graphics in a zoning ordinance or by-law that specify the built form of the community, general intensity of use, and the relationship between buildings and the outdoor public spaces they shape.
Section 6 of chapter 40A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding a new last paragraph:
Notwithstanding any provision of any general or special law, form-based zoning may regulate building type, exterior building materials, minimum and maximum building heights, frontage type, build-to lines, street type, street and streetscape design, public open spaces, and any other parameter of the built or natural environment which gives form to the exterior of buildings and the spaces between them. Form-based zoning may combine in a single document standards for new subdivision streets, existing and new public streets and sidewalks, and use and dimensional standards. Such combined standards may be in the form of a “regulating plan” that integrates building, dimensional, use, street, sidewalk, and parking requirements. Form-based zoning may also specify lot-by-lot in a detailed regulating plan, building forms and allowed use mixes, even if such specification is not uniform throughout a zoning district, provided that it is based upon a plan for the area subject to the code. Form-based zoning may specify prescribed future lot division lines which will be allowed as of right in any future division of land.