[Massplanners] Legal Advertisements for Planning Board and ZBA Hearings

Wed Mar 23 15:54:12 EDT 2022

When I was in Boulder Colorado, there was a giant sign on a property with notice of the permit application, hearing dates, etc.  Definitely would get the neighbors attention.

> On Mar 23, 2022, at 3:48 PM, SR - Medfield Planner via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org> wrote:
> 
> I’m having a hard time in Medfield too. Luckily I am able to get ads in a local paper after the regular paper ceased publication but their billing is wonky. I have checks from applicants on my desk from December that I haven’t received bills for! 
> Sarah Raposa
> Medfield 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Mar 23, 2022, at 2:58 PM, Belansky, Evan via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Maybe part of zoning reform phase II….or simply burying it in a bill.
>>  
>> I thought there was some municipal modernization provisions passed not long ago?
>>  
>> This is all kinda funny as applicants ask how long is the process…..I tell them minimum of three months state wide due to state zoning act requirements….the first month being legal ads.
>>  
>>  
>> Evan Belansky
>> Town of Chelmsford 
>>  
>> From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org>> On Behalf Of Richard McCarthy via MassPlanners
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2022 2:50 PM
>> To: Eric Rumsey <erumsey at southbridgemass.org <mailto:erumsey at southbridgemass.org>>; Joseph Laydon <jlaydon at littletonma.org <mailto:jlaydon at littletonma.org>>; Kristina Johnson <kjohnson at townofhudson.org <mailto:kjohnson at townofhudson.org>>
>> Cc: Mass Planners <massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>>
>> Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Legal Advertisements for Planning Board and ZBA Hearings
>>  
>> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
>>  
>> Eric,
>>  
>> Welcome to MA.  I suspect the newspapers lobbyists will do the same here if we tried.  I completely agree the time came long ago. 
>>  
>> Best,
>>  
>>  
>> Richard J. McCarthy, Jr.
>> Town Planner
>> 1 Liberty Lane
>> Norfolk, MA 02056
>> 508-440-2807
>> Office Hours- Monday through Thursday 9am to 6pm
>> Closed Fridays
>>  
>> As a reminder, please do not reply all to this email. If you have any questions or comments, email me directly. 
>>  
>> Please be advised that the Secretary of State has determined that e-mail sent by or received by municipal employees is a public record.
>> 
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> From: MassPlanners [mailto:massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org>] On Behalf Of Eric Rumsey via MassPlanners
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2022 11:13 AM
>> To: Joseph Laydon; Kristina Johnson; massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Legal Advertisements for Planning Board and ZBA Hearings
>>  
>> A few years ago (when I worked for a municipality in CT), we asked everyone who participated in our public hearings how they had heard about the hearing.  There wasn’t a single person who had seen the legal notice in the paper.  CCAPA, CAZEO (Connecticut Association of Zoning Enforcement Officers), and others lobbied for a change to the statutes to allow posting on websites, etc.  Sadly, the newspaper lobbyists have/had deeper pockets so no change was made. 
>>  
>> Hopefully here in Massachusetts will have better luck.
>>  
>> Eric Rumsey
>> Town Planner & Conservation Agent
>> Economic Development and Planning Department
>> Town of Southbridge
>> 41 Elm Street | Southbridge, MA 01550
>> p: 508.764.5402
>> e: erumsey at southbridgemass.org <mailto:erumsey at southbridgemass.org>
>> w: ci.southbridge.ma.us <https://m365.us.vadesecure.com/safeproxy/v4?f=gLbwzn1ZiuVR9uIsizWvMQYDDjZhmkYC5e9h6QukGXN8Ef9yiTPbhKd7_QAWt2BFv_KLK4FmhJnNBiefSiKEkQ&i=cVX_e99a8xfrHIOIpLC6WLGZ8MmcTd-NOLVpWJCx5mCGYn0cy9Q1sRm5p71yGzVptS2yHuCm8OExxI_1YFeqiA&k=jty6&r=FVJgRDaStoQchuXCQXVyFU_8L5V0vnuSUbe44ks_jV1o4g6q3HCy8UR0wcvNw_e8&s=947c61cb5bc36238e80e89fc47a3c852f586b834ed1dfd132703b07041219579&u=http%3A%2F%2Fci.southbridge.ma.us>
>>  
>> From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org>> On Behalf Of Joseph Laydon via MassPlanners
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2022 10:56 AM
>> To: Kristina Johnson <kjohnson at townofhudson.org <mailto:kjohnson at townofhudson.org>>; massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Legal Advertisements for Planning Board and ZBA Hearings
>>  
>> Kristina,
>>  
>> You forgot one important point; these consolidated media entities can’t figure out billing.  So not only are the costs high, but we are constantly calling to straighten out billing issues.
>>  
>> We may be at a tipping point where planners and towns start asking our legislatures to remove the newspaper requirements and to rely on posting on town websites.  Even moving from planning to administration, I continue to be frustrated by the changing costs and billing errors.
>>  
>> Joe
>>  
>> _________________________________
>> Joseph Laydon
>> Town of Littleton
>> Assistant Town Administrator
>> 37 Shattuck Street
>> Littleton, MA 01460
>> jlaydon at littletonma.org <mailto:jlaydon at littletonma.org>
>> 978-540-2460
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org>> On Behalf Of Kristina Johnson via MassPlanners
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2022 10:44 AM
>> To: massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>
>> Subject: [Massplanners] Legal Advertisements for Planning Board and ZBA Hearings
>>  
>> 
>> 
>> **THIS EMAIL WAS SENT BY AN EXTERNAL SENDER** 
>> Hello Friends and Colleagues,
>>  
>> I am curious to know if any of you are having an issue with legal advertisements, as many local and regional newspapers either being consolidated by large corporate media entities,  have a completely online presence, or have changed their billing policies. Both in Hudson and in Framingham (where I serve on the PB), the regional newspaper, the MetroWest Daily News is requiring “pre-payment” for all legal advertisements instead of the traditional third-party billing method.  Thankfully in Hudson we have another newspaper that publishes locally, although their deadlines completely changed our submission deadlines for PB ZBA, as they only publish once a week.  In Framingham, the only other local newspaper is 100% online,  so Framingham will most likely have to raise fees for application filings to cover the pre-payment in order to ensure the provisions of 40A Section 11 are met. I should note that legal advertisements are not cheap!
>>  
>> What a headache!  Anyone else facing this issue?
>>  
>> Best,
>> Kristina
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> Kristina Johnson, AICP
>> Director of Planning & Community Development
>> Town of Hudson,  MA
>> President, Mass. Association of Planning Directors
>> Tel: 978-562-2989 
>> Cell:  857-939-3427
>> Email: kjohnson at townofhudson.org <mailto:kjohnson at townofhudson.org>
>> Acta non verba
>>  
>>  
>> 
>> This email has been scanned for spam and viruses by Proofpoint Essentials. Click here <https://m365.us.vadesecure.com/safeproxy/v4?f=w8qRsD67tMn-8Mhz9G9CTEmF7btq1JPmXKNqbUygVsZ_dES4utwJqOO2qIMRQQ9qZYN360tJbhgxsl8nSdxXnQ&i=0_DXmm04dcf2tBi6k_PErrK7kVlewymTaNiWecBqYHfwoWokkpAEcgTPJQF2wzYd50YTV-xzdHn9CNP6IXWQAQ&k=nnBk&r=9_Hb4VCoT5bg_4mcWYemo-z8f1LQCEh_8JOtAxTVBq7TaWOt5BkU7k7SZ2RP6hbN&s=4b197a28d278733cd07d021451c0caa39bca5ce76c7d844135015911f3d8ab91&u=https%3A%2F%2Fgdsprotect.cloud-protect.net%2Findex01.php%3Fmod_id%3D11%26mod_option%3Dlogitem%26mail_id%3D1648047421-e_FLJje6uHs8%26r_address%3Derumsey%2540southbridgemass.org%26report%3D1> to report this email as spam.
>> 
>> -- 
>> MassPlanners mailing list
>> MassPlanners at masscptc.org <mailto:MassPlanners at masscptc.org>
>> http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org <http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org>
> -- 
> MassPlanners mailing list
> MassPlanners at masscptc.org <mailto:MassPlanners at masscptc.org>
> http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org <http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://masscptc.org/pipermail/massplanners_masscptc.org/attachments/20220323/102c333e/attachment.htm>