Handbook of Massachusetts Land Use and Planning Law


Book Description

When you're dealing with any piece of real estate in Massachusetts, you need to Understand The applicable land use regulations and cases. Bobrowski's Handbook of Massachsetts Land Use and Planning Law provides all the insightful analysis and practical, expert advice you need, with detailed coverage of such important issues as: Affordable housing Special permit and variance decisions Zoning in Boston Nonconforming uses and structures Administrative appeal procedures Enforcement requests Building permits Vested rights Agricultural use exemptions Current tests for exactions SLAPP suit procedures Impact fees Civil rights challenges. Helpful tables facilitate convenient case law review, while forms and extensive cross-references add To The book's usefulness.




Boston Zoning


Book Description




The TDR Handbook


Book Description

"Transfer of Development Rights" (TDR) programs allow local governments to put economic principles to work in encouraging good land use planning. TDR programs most often permit landowners to forfeit development rights in areas targeted for preservation and then sell those development rights to buyers who want to increase the density of development in areas designated as growth areas by local authorities. Although TDR programs must conform to zoning laws, they provide market incentives that make them more equitable (and often more lucrative) for sellers and frequently benefit buyers by allowing them to receive prior approval for their high-density development plans. Since the 1970s when modern TDR applications were first conceived, more than 200 communities in 33 states across the U.S. have implemented TDR-based programs. The most common uses of TDR to date involve protecting farmland, environmentally sensitive land, historic sites, and "rural character," and urban revitalization. Until now, however, there has never been a clearly written, one-volume book on the subject. At last, The TDR Handbook provides a comprehensive guide to every aspect of TDR programs, from the thinking behind them to the nuts and bolts of implementation-including statutory guidance, model ordinances, suggestions for program administration, and comparisons with other types of preservation programs. In addition, six of its twenty chapters are devoted to case studies of all major uses to which TDR programs have been utilized to date, including recent urban revitalization projects that utilize TDR principles.




Massachusetts Zoning Manual


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Zoning Rules!


Book Description

"Zoning has for a century enabled cities to chart their own course. It is a useful and popular institution, enabling homeowners to protect their main investment and provide safe neighborhoods. As home values have soared in recent years, however, this protection has accelerated to the degree that new housing development has become unreasonably difficult and costly. The widespread Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) syndrome is driven by voters’ excessive concern about their home values and creates barriers to growth that reach beyond individual communities. The barriers contribute to suburban sprawl, entrench income and racial segregation, retard regional immigration to the most productive cities, add to national wealth inequality, and slow the growth of the American economy. Some state, federal, and judicial interventions to control local zoning have done more harm than good. More effective approaches would moderate voters’ demand for local-land use regulation—by, for example, curtailing federal tax subsidies to owner-occupied housing"--Publisher's description.




The Oxford Handbook of Urban Planning


Book Description

Why plan? How and what do we plan? Who plans for whom? These three questions are then applied across three major topics in planning: States, Markets, and the Provision of Social Goods; The Methods and Substance of Planning; and Agency, Implementation, and Decision Making.




Land Development Handbook


Book Description

The Definitive Guide to Land Development-Every Detail, Every Issue, Every Setting Land Development Handbook provides a step-by-step approach to any type of project, from rural greenfield development to suburban infill to urban redevelopment. With the latest information regarding green technologies and design, the book offers you a comprehensive look at the land-development process as a whole, as well as a thorough view of individual disciplines. Plus, a bonus color insert reveals the extent to which land development projects are transforming our communities! This all-in-one guide provides in-depth coverage of: Environmental issues from erosion and sediment control and stormwater management to current regulatory controls for plan approval, permitting, and green building certification Comprehensive planning and zoning including new development models for mixed-use, transit-oriented, and conservation developments Enhanced approaches to community and political consensus building Technical design procedures for infrastructure components including roads and utilities with a new section on dry utilities Surveying tools and techniques focusing on the use of GPS and GIS to collect, present, and preserve data throughout the design process Plan preparation, submission, and processing with an emphasis on technologies available-from CAD modeling and design to electronic submissions, permit processing, and tracking Subjects include: Planning and zoning Real Property Law Engineering Feasibility Environmental Regulations Rezoning Conceptual and Schematic Design Development Patterns Control, Boundary, and Topographical Surveys Historic Assessment and Preservation Street and Utility Design Floodplain Studies Grading and Earthwork Water and Wastewater Treatment Cost Estimating Subdivision Process Plan Submittals Stormwater Management Erosion and Sediment Control And much more!




Quasi Judicial Handbook


Book Description

As its name suggests, a quasi-judicial decision is like a court decision in several important ways. It requires the deciding board to use its judgment in applying general law to a particular land use situation while ensuring the constitutional due process rights of the parties. This handbook is designed as a guide for boards making development regulation decisions through the quasi-judicial process. The discussion covers the process prior to, during, and after the evidentiary hearing as well as the decision itself. Other topics include the board of adjustment, variances, special use permits, certificates of appropriateness, appeals of zoning determinations, and judicial review. A package of 5 books is available for a discounted price for those looking to purchase copies for their entire board.




Land Development Handbook


Book Description

An indispensable reference for land development professionals, this handbook provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of planning, engineering, and surveying in land development design. It features detailed examples of drawings, plat plans, and reports generated throughout the stages of the design process.




Handbook of Massachusetts Land Use and Planning Law, 4th Edition


Book Description

When you're dealing with any piece of real estate in Massachusetts, you need to understand the applicable land use regulations and cases. This revised Fourth Edition of Mark Bobrowski's Handbook of Massachusetts Land Use and Planning Law provides all the insightful analysis and practical, expert advice you need, with detailed coverage of such important issues as: Affordable housing Special permit and variance decisions Zoning in Boston Nonconforming uses and structures Administrative appeal procedures Enforcement requests Building permits Vested rights Agricultural use exemptions Current tests for exactions SLAPP suit procedures Impact fees Civil rights challenges. Helpful tables facilitate convenient case law review, while forms and extensive cross-references add to the book's usefulness. Previous Edition: Handbook of Massachusetts Land Use and Planning Law, Third Edition, ISBN 9781454801474