An Act granting the city of Worcester the authority to require the adoption of institutional master plans
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1/15/2026 | Senate | Read second and ordered to a third reading |
| 11/13/2025 | Senate | Bill reported favorably by committee and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session |
| 10/14/2025 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 10/14/2025 from 02:00 PM-02:00 PM in Written Testimony Only |
| 9/29/2025 | House | House concurred |
| 9/25/2025 | Senate | Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government |
No additional cosponsors.
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J10 | Favorable | 1 entries |
| Bill | Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
| H4581 | An Act granting the city of Worcester the authority to require the adoption of institutional master plans | Active |
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the city of Worcester may adopt local general or zoning ordinances to promote and facilitate the development of large- scale institutional facilities in the city of Worcester. The legislation authorizes the city of Worcester to require the adoption of an Institutional Master Plan as described below in Section 2. An Institutional Master Plan is a land-use and development plan for land owned or used by an institution within a community, that identifies existing and future growth and development of the institution. The master plan enables the community to ensure development impacts are addressed through the public review and adoption of the master plan.
Notwithstanding G. L. c. VA, § 3 or any general or special law to the contrary, the city of Worcester may adopt a general or zoning ordinance imposing Institutional Master Plan review to regulate the use of land or structures for land owned, leased, or otherwise occupied by institutions such as hospitals, health care institutions, colleges, universities, and non-profit educational corporations. In the event the city of Worcester authorizes such a use by special permit, it may provide that such special permits shall expire and be renewed after 10 years and may also require that any such institution in existence at the time of such adoption shall be required to apply for such special permit within 120 days of the adoption of the local zoning ordinance.
This act shall take effect upon passage.
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the city of Worcester may adopt local general or zoning ordinances to promote and facilitate the development of large- scale institutional facilities in the city of Worcester. The legislation authorizes the city of Worcester to require the adoption of an Institutional Master Plan as described below in Section 2. An Institutional Master Plan is a land-use and development plan for land owned or used by an institution within a community, that identifies existing and future growth and development of the institution. The master plan enables the community to ensure development impacts are addressed through the public review and adoption of the master plan. SECTION 2. Notwithstanding G. L. c. VA, § 3 or any general or special law to the contrary, the city of Worcester may adopt a general or zoning ordinance imposing Institutional Master Plan review to regulate the use of land or structures for land owned, leased, or otherwise occupied by institutions such as hospitals, health care institutions, colleges, universities, and non-profit educational corporations. In the event the city of Worcester authorizes such a use by special permit, it may provide that such special permits shall expire and be renewed after 10 years and may also require that any such institution in existence at the time of such adoption shall be required to apply for such special permit within 120 days of the adoption of the local zoning ordinance. SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.