The Massachusetts Zoning Appeals Law: Lessons of the First Three Years

...examines issues arising from a state law that empowered the MA Dept. of Community Affairs to require acceptance of a land development over an offficial local denial, especially as it relates to affordable housing; the five major issues analyzed are: 1) ZONING AUTHORITY: can it be granted to an appointed committee? 2) PLANNING COSTS: how can the developer afford to prepare detailed plans before he even has his zoning? 3) THE HEARING RECORD: how much time should the State Committee devote to bu