Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
An MMA webinar with the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association reviewed best practices for MBTA zoning proposals. Panelists included (clockwise from top left) Margaret Hurley, director of the Municipal Law Unit, Chris Kluchman, director of the Community Services Division at the EOHLC, Attorney Amy Kwesell, KP Law and MMLA Executive Board Member Susan Murphy of Dain Torpy.
An MMA webinar with the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association today reviewed what the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and the Attorney General’s Municipal Law Unit have learned from their preliminary review of proposed local zoning amendments relative to the MBTA Communities Act.
Chris Kluchman, director of the Community Services Division at the EOHLC, discussed takeaways from her office’s zoning district and pre-adoption reviews.
“Technical assistance is available for communities,” she said. “I suggest starting with your regional planning agency.”
Assistance is also available from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, Citizens’ Housing And Planning Association, and Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Municipal Law Unit Director Margaret Hurley encouraged municipalities to take advantage of pre-review opportunities, training and resources offered by her office and the EOHLC.
“It’s especially important to consider amending zoning maps and bylaws before adopting a new district,” she said.
Attorney Amy Kwesell of KP Law discussed multi-family zoning, site plan approvals, and inclusionary zoning.
“My advice to everyone would be to look at this holistically,” she said. “You should have your EOHLC guidelines on hand.”
MMLA Executive Board Member Susan Murphy of Dain Torpy moderated 30 minutes of questions and answers, which addressed site plan reviews, parking requirements, and decision timelines for the EOHLC and the Municipal Law Unit.
• MBTA Communities: Takeaways from Reviews To Date – Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and Mass. Attorney General’s Office presentation (2M PDF)
• District Approval Letter – Arlington (200K PDF)
• District Approval Letter – Lexington (260K PDF)
• District Approval Letter – Salem (1.5M PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – Canton (175K PDF)
• 3A Pre-adoption feedback – Danvers (180K PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – Easton (175K PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – Lincoln (150K PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – North Reading (175K PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – Sherborn (175K PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – Sterling (175K PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – Tewksbury (165K PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – Topsfield (170K PDF)
• Pre-adoption feedback – Wilmington (175K PDF)