<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Trish: there is no statutory provision to “renew” an expired special permit. Language in Chapter 40A states “ a special permit shall lapse within a specified period of time not to exceed 3 years”. The only way to reestablish an expired special permit is to file a new application and go through the entire special permit process.<br><br><div dir="ltr">Bob Mitchell FAICP<div>617-512-9751</div><div>MitchellFAICP@gmail.com</div><div><br></div><div>Sent from my iPhone</div></div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Sep 8, 2023, at 10:14 AM, ruralplanningassociates--- via MassPlanners <massplanners@masscptc.org> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Trish:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">I’d say that unless the town has a specific provision in its zoning bylaw that contemplates renewal of an otherwise expired special permit, state law controls. If the special permit has not been acted upon, it is no more.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Jeff Lacy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Rural Planning Associates<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">(413) 230-9693<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Trish Settles | CMRPC via MassPlanners<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 7, 2023 4:15 PM<br><b>To:</b> Mass Planners <massplanners@masscptc.org><br><b>Subject:</b> [Massplanners] Cell Tower permit<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">One of our towns has a cell tower that had a special permit that has been expired for 9 years. The COMPANY wants to renew/amend the special permit but cannot renew something that has expired. There are different property owners now. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Planning Board feels that a NEW special permit is to be requested by the COMPANY not a renewal, because it has been expired for 9 years. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Their attorney said he is not going to request something he does not feel they need. He is worried about losing the "Spectrum Act". The new property owner does not<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">get any financial benefit from COMPANY Acquisitions because the previous property owner took a lump sum for the cell tower and gave THE COMPANY an easement.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Town’s counsel has not responded.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Suggestions on how to proceed? Is there an entity at the State who would provide guidance? Thanks for any help you can provide.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Happy Heat Wave<span style="mso-ligatures:none"><div><image002.png></div></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Freestyle Script";color:#002060;mso-ligatures:none">Trish Settles</span><span style="font-family:"Freestyle Script";mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Trish Settles, AICP<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color:#0070C0;mso-ligatures:none">(she/her/hers)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Deputy Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Regional Collaboration and Community Planning<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">1 Mercantile Street, Suite 520<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Worcester, MA 01608<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Direct: (508) 756-7717 x 120 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Fax: (508) 792-6818<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Web: <a href="http://www.cmrpc.org/" target="_blank">www.cmrpc.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://cmrpc.org/"><span style="color:black;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none"><div><image003.png></div></span></a><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> </span><a href="https://www.cmrpcregionalservices.org/imagine2050"><span style="color:black;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none"><div><image009.png></div></span></a><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Please be advised that the Massachusetts Secretary of State and the Massachusetts Attorney General consider e-mail to be a public record, and therefore subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66 § 10.</span><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><span>-- </span><br><span>MassPlanners mailing list</span><br><span>MassPlanners@masscptc.org</span><br><span>http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org</span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>