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Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (MGL c. 131 §40) (MA)

Tracked preemption from the Massachusetts overlay bundle.

Overview

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Effective
1972-07-01
Sunset
—
Authority
state
Scope
state:MA
Other Massachusetts preemptions
Massachusetts Chapter 40Y — Starter Home Zoning Districts (Opt-In)Massachusetts MBTA Communities Act — Multi-Family Zoning Requirement (MGL c. 40A §3A)Massachusetts Chapter 40S — Smart Growth School Cost ReimbursementMassachusetts Chapter 40R — Smart Growth Zoning Overlay District (Opt-In)Massachusetts Rivers Protection Act — Riverfront Area (MGL c. 131 §40)Boston Planning Department (former BPDA) Article 80 Development ReviewMassachusetts Outstanding Resource Waters & DCR Watershed ProtectionCape Cod Commission Regional Land Use Authority (St. 1989, c. 716)

Trigger predicate

When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.

OR
  • parcel.has_wetland == True
  • parcel.within_100ft_wetland_buffer == True
  • parcel.within_bordering_land_subject_to_flooding == True
  • parcel.within_land_subject_to_coastal_storm_flowage == True

Preempted fields

3 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.

FieldOpValueNote
review_typerequire_additionalconservation_commission_notice_of_intentOrder of Conditions required from local Conservation Commission before any work in wetland resource area or 100-ft buffer zone
base_districts[*].buildable_area_sfexcludewetland_resource_area + 100ft_bufferNo-build / restricted-build in resource areas, riverfront areas, and buffer zones absent variance
base_districts[*].impervious_coveragecap_atper_310_cmr_10_performance_standards

Citation

Authority source
MGL c. 131 §40; 310 CMR 10.00 (DEP Wetlands Regulations)
§ MGL c. 131 §40; implementing 310 CMR 10.00
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIX/Chapter131/Section40

Research notes

Administered locally by Conservation Commissions under MassDEP oversight. Protected resource areas: Bordering Vegetated Wetlands (BVW), Bordering Land Subject to Flooding (BLSF), Land Under Water Bodies and Waterways (LUWW), Banks, Beaches, Dunes, Salt Marsh, Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage (LSCSF), Isolated Land Subject to Flooding (ILSF). 100-ft buffer zone around BVW triggers Notice of Intent. Riverfront Area (200 ft from mean annual high-water line on perennial streams; 25 ft in dense urban areas) added by Rivers Protection Act 1996. Local bylaws may be stricter; state floor cannot be reduced. Appeals: Superseding Order of Conditions from DEP, then DALA / Superior Court.