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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi all,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Staff has been discussing the abandonment clause in our Zoning Bylaw. Our new Building Commissioner is curious to know if any communities make a distinction between abandonment vs. non use. Our bylaw is written as follows:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="647" height="150" style="width:6.7395in;height:1.5625in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D8D8DB.1DA994C0"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Building Commissioner noted <i>Bartlett v. Lakeville Zoning Board of Appeals (1986)
</i>where the definitions of abandonment and non use were separated, each being defined with different thresholds. He feels that the way ours is currently written above, with a definition of abandonment in our definitions section and the lack of definition
for non use, that they were probably meant to be interchangeable. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am still doing some research into the genesis of this clause in our bylaw, but I was curious to know how other communities view this issue. Do you use the terms interchangeably or do you have separate definitions and thresholds for proof
of both?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Any input is appreciated!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Alex<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Alexandra Lowder</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Community/Economic Development Planner</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Town of Tewksbury<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1009 Main Street<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tewksbury, MA 01876<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Office Phone<b>:</b> (978) 640-4370 Ext. 248<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mobile: (978) 866-4531<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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