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2024 Webinar Series

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Fall/Winter Workshops

All workshops are on Zoom. Registration closes 48 hours before the workshop begins. Upon registration you will receive a link to a brief registration on Zoom. Upon completing that you will receive the link to the workshop session. If applicable, workshop handouts will be sent by email prior to the workshop. Payment can be made by check or credit card. Checks can be received after the workshop has ended. Should you need to cancel you must do so at least 48 hours before the workshop begins to receive a refund.

Site Plan Review CM I 1.5

  • Date: Monday, January 6, 2025, 6:00PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

The Zoning Act does not contain any provisions for the review of site plans, however the process can be a very effective tool for a board to review the details, aesthetics and impacts of a potential project.  This course explains the legal issues when using site plan review; the difference between site plan approval and special permits; the review process; the types of conditions a board may impose; the reasons for disapproval; the appeal process and the types of information a municipality can require to be shown on a site plan. Additional material will be presented on how to incorporate site plan review into your zoning bylaw or ordinance.

  • Presenter: Richard Harris, Planning Consultants
  • Sponsor: Northern Middlesex Council of Governments


Special Permits and Variances CM I 1.5

  • Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 5:30PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

Participants will learn about the difference between special permits and variances; the issues and criteria for decision-making; and procedural requirements. Additionally, the course will discuss who has the authority to issue special permits and variances and how judicial decisions guide the way we work with them.

  • Presenter: Pam Brown FAICP, Esq, Brown & Brown, P.C.
  • Sponsor: Franklin Regional Council of Governments

Writing Reasonable and Defensible Decisions

  • Date: Monday, January 13, 2025, 6:00PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

This course covers some key points that will assist boards in writing clear and defensible decisions and why that is important.  It describes criteria that should be contained in local zoning provisions and how they relate to the drafting of the decision and the conditions a board may impose when approving a special permit or variance application. This session covers legal and procedural requirements for conducting a public hearing and the ramifications of failure to follow procedural regulations in the decision-making process.

  • Presenter: Adam J. Costa, Mead, Talerman & Costa, LLC
  • Sponsor: Montachusett Regional Planning Agency

Previous Workshops

Fair Housing Laws CM I 1.5

  • Date: Monday, November 18, 2024,  5:30PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration:

Fair housing laws regulate the development, leasing, buying and selling of real estate, as well as state and municipal housing programs, and aspects of municipal land use. This module will describe how land use regulations have been (and continue to be) used to exclude groups from specific neighborhoods and properties and provide a detailed overview of federal and state laws intended to prevent discrimination and promote equity in housing. A special focus will be on the role of the municipality in enforcing a commitment to fair housing, and the potential consequences of not doing so.

  • Presenter: Jennifer (Jenny) Raitt, Executive Director, Northern Middlesex Council of Governments
  • Sponsor: Old Colony Planning Council

Adopting & Revising Rules & Regulations

  • Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 5:30PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

Boards of appeal and planning boards frequently choose to, or are required to, adopt rules and regulations governing process, procedure and even the substance of their application reviews. While such documents are an important source of authority for boards, they also make life easier for board members and applicants by providing a clear road map for a fair and predictable process. This session will clarify which types of zoning, non-zoning and subdivision rules and regulations are mandatory and which are voluntary; describe what they can and cannot cover; and explain how they get adopted and amended. The regulatory framework for establishing fees and using consultants will also be discussed.

  • Presenter: Brian Currie, AICP, Planning Consultant
  • Sponsor: Southeastern Planning and Economic Development District

Introduction to the Subdivision Control Law & ANR

  • Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2024, 5:30PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: closed

This session addresses the purposes of the Subdivision Control Law and the Planning Board’s authority under the Act. It also covers important procedural requirements and board responsibilities when reviewing subdivision and ANR plans; adoption of subdivision regulations; review of ANR plans; access issues; preliminary and definitive plans; Planning Board waivers; modifying, amending and rescinding plans; enforcement; vested rights and zoning freezes.

  • Presenter: Barbara Saint Andre, Director, Community and Economic Development, Town of Medway
  • Sponsor: Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission

Planning with Community Support CM I 1.5

  • Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 5:30PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

The course describes how to conduct a planning process, with an emphasis on a comprehensive or master plan that will ultimately have the support of the community. A variety of public participation strategies will be examined, including plan implementation processes.  The course will cover how to design the community engagement process.

  • Presenter: Ezra Glenn AICP, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Sponsor: Merrimack Valley Planning Commission  

Drafting Zoning Amendments CM I 1.5

  • Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024 5:30PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

While regular review and amendment of a municipality’s zoning ordinance or bylaw in response to changing needs and circumstances is essential to ensuring that it remain up-to date, the process can be tricky. This course will provide a step-by-step roadmap on how to adopt and amend zoning codes in accordance with the strict requirements of G.L. 40A Section 5. Local officials and staff will gain an understanding of what type and scope of amendments are permissible; the relationship between zoning and other municipal planning documents; and the essential role of the Planning Board in the process. Tips for drafting zoning amendments, and strategies for successfully getting them passed will also be addressed.

  • Presenter: Jonathan M Silverstein, Blatman, Bobrowski, Haverty & Silverstein, LLC
  • Sponsor: Berkshire Regional Planning Commission

Roles and Responsibilities of Planning and Zoning Boards

  • Date: Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 5:30 PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

Join us if you are a new Board member or building inspector. This program will launch you into your role as a local official, introduce you to the functions of the two boards and the main tools of planning and zoning. This session will also include an introductory discussion of the Open Meeting, Public Records, and the Conflict of Interest Laws. 

  • Presenter: Bob Mitchell FAICP, Planning Consultant
  • Sponsor: Cape Cod Commission