Administrative Rules and Regulations

Planning Board Administrative Rules and Regulations lay out a set of procedures for the board to follow, and help to lay a solid foundation for the business conducted by the board. Although Administrative Rules and Regulations are useful to board members and applicants, and are quite simple to adopt, most planning boards do not have a written set of procedures.

BRPC created a set of Example Administrative Rules and Regulations as a basis for planning boards (as well as zoning appeals boards) to use as a starting point in developing Rules and Regulations. It is provided as a Microsoft Word file so that boards can easily edit and customize the document for their needs.

The Introduction to Administrative Rules and Regulations is a quick, easy-to-read introduction to the purpose of rules and regs. It also provides an overview of sections that are recommended for inclusion.

Model Zoning Bylaws

Based on the number and types of inquiries received, BRPC has developed model bylaws as part of its Berkshire Planning Tools that address those topic as well as others that are the hottest topic areas in the planning and land use field.

The following Regional Planning toolbox items and model bylaws are a sample of what is included in the BRPC Regional Plan Toolbox:

• Creating Great Estate Preservation Areas
• Siting windmill turbines
• Mastering the "how to's" in siting and regulating telecommunications towers and a model bylaw
• Understanding Public and School Building Reuse and a model bylaw
• Understanding Chaper 40B and a model bylaw
• What are Accessory Apartments and a model bylaw

CPTC posts a collection of model bylaws for communities in Massachusetts and the region at http://www.umass.edu/masscptc/examplebylaws.html.

Berkshire Planning Tools also includes a complete listing of BRPC’s Land Use Legal Memoranda. For more information about model bylaws and other example documents, contact Sarah Izatt at sizatt@berkshireplanning.org.