[Massplanners] Any Planners in a Right to Farm community that can help with Special Permit ?s

[Frank O'Connor]

Hello, Planners ~ hope all is well.

If you were a Planner in a Right To Farm Community, past or present, would you please help us with a situation of Soil Export & Importation on a Farm?

Georgetown is working with a farming family that has 61-A status and more that 20 acres.  There is produce being grown and some animal husbandry.  It is a farm.


The challenge is that Georgetown is a Right to Farm community and the farmers are working to recondition the soil for an organic farm.  However, there are truck loads of soil that have entered and exited the farm, which would require a Special Permit.   There is no local exemption for a farm from the bylaw that requires the Soil Export / Import permit.  My reading of the State's Right to Farm law leads me to think that the farmers can condition the soil as they see best.

I am sharing with you the links to the Right to Farm State Law: https://mfbf.net/file/14/RIGHT-TO-FARM-LAWS11.pdf   as well as the Local Georgetown Right to Farm bylaw: https://ecode360.com/GE1475/laws/LF2145803.pdf

Have any of you come across a similar scenario where the Farmers believe they do not need the Local Special Permit because the State Law does not require it?

Any help (or sharing a decision) would be appreciated.


All the best,
Frank O'Connor, Jr.
Planning Dept.
One Library St.
Georgetown, MA  01833-2052

978-352-5713  Economic Development Hotline


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