MMA letter to Environment Committee opposing bill to establish statewide building height limit

The Honorable Anne M. Gobi, House Chair
The Honorable Marc R. Pacheco, Senate Chair
Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture
State House, Boston

Dear Representative Gobi, Senator Pacheco and Members of the Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony regarding H. 826, “An Act Protecting Sunlight in Certain Public Parks.”

On behalf of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Municipal Association asks you to oppose and issue an unfavorable report to H. 826. This legislation would violate home rule, interfere with local decision-making, and unnecessarily encroach on the guidelines the state already has in place and current local laws set by municipalities regarding the height of buildings.

The cities of Boston, Cambridge and Lynn would be negatively impacted by this inappropriate micro-management by state government. Further, the legislation would clearly hinder local economic development. A statewide mandate on the height of buildings would result in a loss of construction jobs, constraints on affordable housing, and missed opportunities for generating property tax revenue. Further, the legislation could also increase urban sprawl and trigger unexpected negative consequences, creating environmental concerns and quality-of-life issues for residents of cities that rely on vital downtowns.

This legislation would certainly undermine home rule. Cities and towns have processes in place for establishing zoning requirements. These rules are set with a great deal of citizen input and are based on the needs of community. H. 826 is unwarranted and represents an inappropriate intrusion into this local decision-making.

Again, we urge you to reject this bill. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey C. Beckwith
Executive Director, MMA