<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>An interesting question, Frank. Hopefully someone has specific experience with this. Here are my initial thoughts.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Generally, I would say reconditioning soil is a standard farming practice and is exempt. Also, your bylaw specifically covers on-farm relocation of soil, and what you describe seems similar. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>However, I would want to know more about what they're doing. You say that truckloads of soil have entered and exited the farm. Reconditioning soil typically involves adding soil amendments, but not soil itself. It would not involve removing soil from the property. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>If they are, in fact, removing soil, or other materials, from the property, I would look closely at that. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I hope this helps. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bryon <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bryon Clemence, P.E. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Farmer, environmental engineer, member Boxborough Agricultural Commission and Water Resources Committee <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Boxborough MA <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Sat, Jun 14, 2025, 3:27 PM Frank O'Connor via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Hello, Planners ~ hope all is well.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>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?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>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\u2019s Right to Farm law leads me to think that the farmers can condition the soil as they see best.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>I am sharing with you the links to the Right to Farm State Law: <a href="https://mfbf.net/file/14/RIGHT-TO-FARM-LAWS11.pdf" target="_blank">https://mfbf.net/file/14/RIGHT-TO-FARM-LAWS11.pdf</a> as well as the Local Georgetown Right to Farm bylaw: <a href="https://ecode360.com/GE1475/laws/LF2145803.pdf" target="_blank">https://ecode360.com/GE1475/laws/LF2145803.pdf</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>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?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Any help (or sharing a decision) would be appreciated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>All the best,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Frank O\u2019Connor, Jr.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Planning Dept.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>One <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/Library+St.+%0D%0A+Georgetown,+MA++01833-2052?entry=gmail&source=g" target="_blank">Library St.</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/Library+St.+%0D%0A+Georgetown,+MA++01833-2052?entry=gmail&source=g" target="_blank">Georgetown, MA </a> <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/Library+St.+%0D%0A+Georgetown,+MA++01833-2052?entry=gmail&source=g" target="_blank">01833-2052</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>978-352-5713 Economic Development Hotline</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal>-- <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" target="_blank">http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org</a><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div></div></div></div></body></html>