[Adopted 6-2-2009 (Ch. 16, Art. I, of the 2010 Code)]
Pursuant to the City of Taunton's adoption of MGL c. 43D, Expedited
Permitting, the City of Taunton adopts the regulations and procedures
outlined in this article. An applicant for a project located within
the Priority Development Site Overlay District may seek expedited
review and approval in accordance with the requirements of this article.
In such case, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere
that pertains to time frames for action by any municipal board or
commission, review will be taken and completed within the time frame
set forth herein.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
INTERAGENCY PERMITTING BOARD
The state body, as described in MGL c. 23A, § 62,
established to review and approve or deny municipal priority development
site proposals and to grant and administer technical assistance grants.
ISSUING AUTHORITY
Any local board, commission, department, or other municipal
entity of the City of Taunton that is responsible for issuing permits
or granting approvals or otherwise involved in land use development,
including redevelopment of existing buildings and structures.
PERMIT
A permit, formal determination, order of conditions, license,
certificate, authorization, registration, plan approval, zoning relief
or other approval or determination with respect to the use or development
of land, buildings, or structures required by any issuing authority,
including but not limited to those under statutory authorities contained
in MGL c. 40A; MGL c. 41, §§ 81A to 81J, inclusive;
MGL c. 41, §§ 81X to 81GG, inclusive; MGL c. 131, §§ 40
and 40A; MGL c. 111, §§ 26 to 32, inclusive; MGL c.
40C; MGL c. 148, §§ 13 and 14; Chapter 772 of the Acts
of 1975, or otherwise under state law or Taunton ordinance, and all
associated regulations, ordinances and rules, but not including building
permits or approvals pursuant to MGL c. 41, §§ 81O
to 81W, inclusive. "Permit" shall not include the decision of an agency
to dispose of property under its management or control or predevelopment
reviews conducted by municipal offices.
There shall be established an Expedited Permitting Board (the
Board). Said Board shall be chaired by the Director of Planning and
Conservation who shall also serve as the single point of contact as
required per 400 CMR 2.00, Expedited Permitting, the Chapter 43D regulations.
The membership of the Board shall also include the Fire Chief or designee,
City Clerk or designee, Department of Public Works Commissioner or
designee, Board of Health Director or designee, Conservation Agent,
and the Building Commissioner or designee.
All issuing authorities shall make every reasonable effort to
review permit modification requests within as short a time period
as is feasible to maintain the integrity of the expedited permitting
process. The applicable issuing authority shall inform an applicant
within 20 business days of receipt of a request whether the modification
is approved, denied, determined to be substantial, or requires additional
information for the issuing authority to issue a decision. If additional
information is required, the issuing authority shall inform an applicant
by certified mail within 20 business days after receipt of the required
additional information whether the modification is approved, denied
or that further additional information is required by the issuing
authority in order to render a decision.
Appeals of any issuing authority decision or of an automatic
grant of approval shall be filed within 20 calendar days after the
last individual permitting decision has been rendered or within 20
calendar days after the conclusion of the one-hundred-eighty-day period,
whichever is later. The one-hundred-eighty-day period shall be increased
by the number of days in any extension granted hereunder.