HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4981        FILED ON: 7/30/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4380

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Michael J. Finn and John C. Velis

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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 amending the charter of the city known as the town of Agawam to strike the reference to the board of appeals.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Michael J. Finn

6th Hampden

7/30/2025

Nicholas A. Boldyga

3rd Hampden

7/30/2025


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4981        FILED ON: 7/30/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4380

By Representative Finn of West Springfield and Senator Velis, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4380) of Michael J. Finn and Nicholas A. Boldyga (with the approval of the town council) that the city known as the town of Agawam be authorized to strike the reference to the board of appeals in the city charter.  Municipalities and Regional Government.  [Local Approval Received.]

 

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 amending the charter of the city known as the town of Agawam to strike the reference to the board of appeals.

 

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. The charter of the city known as the Town of Agawam, certificate of the same having been deposited in the office of the state secretary and kept under the custody of the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided by Section 12 of Chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby amended in Section 2-8 of Article 2 by striking out Subsection c, entitled ‘Board of Appeals’, in its entirety.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, this act shall be submitted for acceptance to the qualified voters of the city known as the Town of Agawam at the 2025 regular election in the form of the following question:

“Shall an Act passed by the General Court in the year 2025 entitled ‘An Act amending the charter of the city known as the Town of Agawam to strike the reference to the Board of Appeals’ be accepted?”

Below the question shall appear a fair and concise summary of the proposed charter amendment prepared by the city solicitor.

If a majority of the votes cast in answer to this question are in the affirmative, Section 1 shall take effect forthwith and the City Council and Mayor of the city known as the Town of Agawam shall provide by ordinance for a zoning board of appeals in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 12 of Chapter 40A of the General Laws.

SECTION 3. The city solicitor shall prepare the summary required under section 2 not later than 60 days before the election in accordance with section 58A of chapter 54 of the General Laws.