<div dir="ltr">My practice when I was working for South Hadley was similar to Dan's. Even with the responses, they were "as of the date of the response". There were a few properties which received a Zoning Verification multiple times over a 10-15 year period - depending on how often it flipped or ws refinanced. They would also ask for copies of Special Permits and Variances which had been granted - if they were available, I provided the copies. And, I would copy the Building Commissioner and often refer them to the Building Commissioner for particular questions.<div><div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr">Thank you<div><br></div><div>Richard Harris, AICP</div><div>PDR, LLC</div><div>Planning Consultant</div><div>413-335-5012</div></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 2:41 PM Daniel Fortier via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">My practice was to answer the direct ZBL responses, district and how long they have to rebuild if destroyed if it was proven to be the vested structure. We do not know if the house that exists is exactly what was permitted so without an up to date survey we cannot answer anything else. So, in the end only verifying zoning district. <div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Dan Fortier, AICP </div><div dir="auto">Retired Planner </div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Feb 16, 2024, 1:24 PM Alicia Hunt via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div lang="EN-US" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<div>
<p>Hi,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p>I’m wondering how other communities handle these requests. I’ve seen these requests from other lenders, in this case we’re being told that HUD is requiring this information:
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><b><i><u></u> <u></u></i></b></p>
<p><b><i>Zoning Information Request</i></b><i> - </i><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><i>I am requesting zoning verification (what is the property zoned, can the property be rebuilt as is if destroyed, is the property legally conforming/legally non-conforming.)</i><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><i>*Please confirm any zoning violations or maps available*</i><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><i> </i><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><b>**</b>This information is<b> URGENTLY </b>needed and<b> REQUIRED
</b>by <b>HUD.**</b><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the City Planner I refer these to the Building Commissioner because he is the zoning officer in Medford.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Building Commissioner doesn’t like to respond, but points out the request can submit a FOIA request for the file, but that several of the answers are much more complex than the lender realizes, and would take significant effort to answer.
Some of them may also be conditional. <br>
<br>
I also note that some of the answers are actually meaningless to the lender. “what is the property zoned” for example: how would they know what Commercial or Single-Family 2 means in our community, without a thorough review of our zoning? Even whether or not
it can be rebuilt in the event of a fire is “yes, under certain conditions” <u></u>
<u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How is this handled elsewhere? Does anyone know what happens if they just don’t get an answer? Can they not refinance? Does it make their rates go up?<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Thanks,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Alicia</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Alicia L Hunt</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Director of Planning, Development & Sustainability</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">City of Medford<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">She/her</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">City Hall, Room 308</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">85 George P. Hassett Dr.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Medford, MA 02155</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:Ahunt@medford-ma.gov" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">Ahunt@medford-ma.gov</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">(w) 781-393-2480 </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="http://www.medfordma.org/planning/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">http://www.medfordma.org/planning/</span></a>
</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><a href="http://gogreenmedford.org/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">http://gogreenmedford.org/</span></a>
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Twitter: @GoGreenMedford</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoGreenMedford" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://www.facebook.com/GoGreenMedford</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)">Please note: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts considers most electronic communications to and from public employees
to be public records and disclosable under the Massachusetts Public Records Law and its regulations. *Please consider the environment before printing this email.*</span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:black"> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<p><strong>Please note: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts considers most electronic communications to and from public employees to be public records and disclosable under the Massachusetts Public Records Law and its regulations. *Please consider the environment
before printing this email.*</strong> </p>
</div>
-- <br>
MassPlanners mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:MassPlanners@masscptc.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">MassPlanners@masscptc.org</a><br>
<a href="http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org" rel="noreferrer noreferrer" target="_blank">http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org</a><br>
</blockquote></div>
-- <br>
MassPlanners mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:MassPlanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">MassPlanners@masscptc.org</a><br>
<a href="http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org</a><br>
</blockquote></div>