[Massplanners] Town Planner Enforcement Authority

[Parsons, Ethan (DCR)]

Matthew,

In my experience there is “soft enforcement”, AKA “planner enforcement”, which seemed effective about 99.7% of the time when I worked in town planning and then there is “hard enforcement”, requiring invoking the Zoning Enforcement Officer’s powers. The “soft enforcement” was done by planning staff and involved reminding violators that they wouldn’t get final CO’s, their sureties/covenanted lots/etc. wouldn’t be released, the Building Inspector or other regulatory authorities wouldn’t sign-off and they’d be held up, they’d waste their money and time, and other threats of problems. This reminding/nudging was a daily thing. Nearly always the issues would be worked out but in the rare occasions they did not, most of the time the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer’s threat of a fine or stop work order would affect a change/correction and if not the Inspector would actually fine and stop work. An actual fine, stop work, or legal action was extremely rare in my experience.


Ethan Parsons

Historic Curatorship Program Manager
Office of Cultural Resources
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
251 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02114
857-262-4015 (mobile)
mass.gov/dcr/curatorship<https://www.mass.gov/dcr/curatorship>



From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> On Behalf Of Tim Czerwienski via MassPlanners
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2023 9:46 AM
To: Cathy Murray, Appeals Board Clerk <cmurray at lakevillema.org>; Fiona Coughlan <coughlanf at grafton-ma.gov>; Matthew Benoit <mbenoit at douglas-ma.gov>
Cc: massplanners at masscptc.org
Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Town Planner Enforcement Authority

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In Milton, in almost every case, once a decision is finalized by the Planning Board, enforcement lies with the Building Commissioner as the Town’s zoning enforcement officer. That official has the power to issue violations and file suit against offenders. It underscores the importance of crafting decisions with clear, enforceable conditions.

One quasi-enforcement tool that the Planning Board has is the requirement of security bonds or lots held in covenant on subdivision projects. This is usually to ensure the subdivision road is built to standards, but holding onto a lot or a big chunk of money is usually pretty good incentive for a developer to play ball when it comes to the conditions of their approval.

Tim Czerwienski, AICP
Director of Planning & Community Development
Town of Milton | 525 Canton Avenue | Milton, Mass. 02186 | 617-898-4847



From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org<mailto:massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org>> On Behalf Of Cathy Murray, Appeals Board Clerk via MassPlanners
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2023 9:36 AM
To: Fiona Coughlan <coughlanf at grafton-ma.gov<mailto:coughlanf at grafton-ma.gov>>; Matthew Benoit <mbenoit at douglas-ma.gov<mailto:mbenoit at douglas-ma.gov>>
Cc: massplanners at masscptc.org<mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>
Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Town Planner Enforcement Authority

[External Email- Use Caution]
Good morning,

We are also interested.

Cathy Murray
Planning Department
Town of Lakeville

From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org<mailto:massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org>> On Behalf Of Fiona Coughlan via MassPlanners
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2023 9:32 AM
To: Matthew Benoit <mbenoit at douglas-ma.gov<mailto:mbenoit at douglas-ma.gov>>
Cc: massplanners at masscptc.org<mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>
Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Town Planner Enforcement Authority

Grafton is also interested.

On Fri, May 19, 2023 at 9:21 AM Matthew Benoit via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org<mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>> wrote:
Planners,

What enforcement authority do we actually have as planners?  Can we shut projects down for non-compliance with Subdivision conditions?  Or must we ask the Zoning Enforcement Official to do so?

Matthew C. Benoit, Notary Public
Director of Community Development
Town of Douglas
29 Depot Street
Douglas, MA 01516
508-476-4000  x206
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