The Massachusetts Legislature and the Healey Administration significantly overhauled the Commonwealth’s special permit and zoning variance standards in the 2027 Appropriations Act. [1] The amendments to the Massachusetts Zoning Act, General Laws Chapter 40A, speed the development of housing and otherwise streamline the permit process for new construction and renovations. These updates provide longer timeframes…
POSTED IN: Commercial Real Estate, News, Zoning & Land Use
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) recently issued an important decision concerning the limits of municipal discretion when considering special permit applications for the development of solar energy systems. In Sunpin Energy Services, LLC v. Zoning Board of Appeals of Petersham, the SJC made clear that the denial of such an application cannot be premised…
POSTED IN: News, Zoning & Land Use
RIW Attorney Meghan Hall successfully reversed a Zoning Board of Appeals (the “ZBA”) decision in Fairhaven, allowing the Fairhaven School Committee (the “School Committee”) to move forward with a construction project on school property. The Land Court decided that the abutters who challenged the School Committee’s commercial building permit did not have standing under Section…
POSTED IN: Litigation, News, Zoning & Land Use
Congratulations to RIW clients Benevolent Botanicals LLC and 926 Eastern Avenue, LLC on recently obtaining a favorable judgment in the Massachusetts Land Court. For more than four years, Benevolent Botanicals has sought to open and operate a retail marijuana establishment in the City of Malden; however, it has been prevented from doing so due to the…
POSTED IN: Cannabis, News, Zoning & Land Use
Congratulations to RIW clients TowerCo and Verizon on successfully obtaining a Special Permit to construct a 150-foot monopole telecommunications facility in Acton, MA. TowerCo is one of the largest privately held wireless infrastructure companies in the US, specializing in developing, acquiring, owning, and managing wireless communication towers and assets. With over 25 years of industry expertise…
POSTED IN: News, Zoning & Land Use
We are thrilled to announce that Adam Gutbezahl has been elevated to Shareholder! Adam has been a member of the firm’s Litigation Department for five years, practicing in our Commercial Real Estate, Construction, and Employment Law Groups. “Adam consistently delivers exceptionally high-quality legal work, a tireless work ethic, a commitment to clients and positive outcomes,…
POSTED IN: Employment Law, Litigation, Zoning & Land Use
RIW’s Adam Gutbezahl was recently quoted in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly on the Appeals Court’s decision in Filzer v. Pitsick. The case arose from a dispute between a Newton home builder and abutters after zoning permits were revoked. Although the parties reached a settlement while the matter was pending in Land Court, they failed to inform…
POSTED IN: News, Zoning & Land Use
Congratulations to RIW clients TowerCo and Verizon on successfully obtaining a Special Permit to construct a 150-foot monopole telecommunications facility in Sanbornton, NH. TowerCo is one of the largest privately held wireless infrastructure companies in the US, specializing in developing, acquiring, owning, and managing wireless communication towers and assets. With over 25 years of industry expertise and…
POSTED IN: News, Zoning & Land Use
We have previously reported on the Legislature’s August 2024 amendments to the Massachusetts Zoning Act, G.L. c. 40A, which significantly limit the right of abutters and others to challenge special permits and other zoning relief awarded by local zoning and planning boards. The 2024 amendments include a new requirement in Section 17 of Chapter 40A…
POSTED IN: News, Zoning & Land Use
Congratulations to RIW client Viridi Wireless, along with co-applicant AT&T and their counsel Ed Pare, on successfully obtaining a Special Permit and Variance to construct a monopole telecommunications facility in Greenfield, MA. Viridi Wireless specializes in tower infrastructure solutions for rural markets, serving both U.S. and Canadian operators. With extensive experience building, operating, and maintaining…
POSTED IN: Commercial Real Estate, News, Zoning & Land Use
