State Sen. Eldridge Proposes Comprehensive Zoning Reform Legislation

BOSTON – Comprehensive legislation designed to overhaul the state’s decades-old zoning laws filed by State Sen. Jamie Eldridge was heard Wednesday by the Joint Committee on Municipalities.

The Comprehensive Land Use Reform and Partnership Act (CLURPA – S1019) would be the first major update of the Commonwealth's zoning laws in over 35 years. The bill encourages communities to adopt or update their local master plans and provides them the tools necessary to implement zoning regulations to reach their planning goals.

These goals might include:

• Better protection of open spaces and natural resources
• Healthier, more walkable, bikeable communities
• More vibrant, higher-density downtown business districts
• More diverse and affordable housing stock

“This bill will make it easier for cities and towns to plan and build the kind of communities they want to have,” said Eldridge (D-Acton). “By updating our zoning laws, we can make it easier for cities and towns to proactively invigorate our downtowns and residential areas, promote sustainable and responsible development, create diverse and affordable housing, protect open space and agricultural land, and create healthier, more pedestrian- and bike-friendly communities.”

The state’s current planning and zoning laws are among the most out of date in the nation. As currently written, the state's zoning laws are unclear and restrictive, laying down a series of impediments that make local planning ineffective, and even discourage it.

Rather than put another band-aid on an already outdated, much amended set of statues, Eldridge’s zoning reform bill completely reframes the existing laws into clear, understandable language based on smart growth principles that are widely accepted and used across the America.

“Our communities’ goals and needs have changed dramatically over the past few decades, as have planning best practices – and yet none of this is reflected in our current zoning laws, which haven’t been updated in over 35 years,” said Eldridge.