Bill > S118

This bill aims to safeguard municipal permitting processes by amending Section 6 of Chapter 40A of existing law. The key provision is that a zoning ordinance or by-law, which are local rules governing land use, will now require that construction or operations under a building permit must comply with any later changes to those rules, unless the project begins within twelve months of the permit being issued and, for construction, is carried out continuously and as quickly as possible. For special permits or site plan approvals, which are specific permissions for certain developments, this timeframe is extended to two years, with similar requirements for continuous and expeditious construction. The bill also clarifies that for projects involving the redevelopment of previously disturbed land, construction is considered to have started with significant investment in site preparation or infrastructure, and phased developments are allowed to proceed expeditiously between phases rather than continuously.