Background on Comprehensive Permits
G.L. c. 40B, §§ 20-23 – known as Chapter 40B or the Comprehensive Permit Law – is a state law that was enacted in 1969 to facilitate construction of low- or moderate-income housing. It establishes a consolidated local review and approval process (known as a “comprehensive permit”) that empowers the zoning board of appeals (ZBA) in each city and town to hold hearings and make binding decisions that encompass all local ordinances or bylaws and regulations. Comprehensive permit applications are subject to unique rules and are typically far more complex than any other matters that come before a ZBA.