5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
Verified from official government sources
Suffolk County municipalities operate under EPA MS4 Phase II permits requiring stormwater management plans for projects disturbing 1+ acre. Boston Water and Sewer Commission enforces stormwater standards under Boston Code Chapter XIV. Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop adopted stormwater bylaws under MGL c. 83, §10 implementing the 2020 MA DEP Stormwater Handbook.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 131, sec. 40 (Wetlands Protection Act - Removal, fill, dredging or altering land bordering waters)
Section 40. No person shall remove, fill, dredge or alter any bank, riverfront area, fresh water wetland, coastal wetland, beach, dune, flat, marsh, meadow or swamp bordering on the ocean or on any estuary, creek, river, stream, pond, or lake, or any land under said waters or any land subject to tidal action, coastal storm flowage, or flooding, other than in the course of maintaining, repairing...
All Suffolk County municipalities require erosion and sediment controls during construction per the MA State Building Code (780 CMR) and the 2020 MassDEP Stormwater Handbook. Boston requires a Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan for projects disturbing 20,000+ sq ft. Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop use the MassDEP BMPs: silt fence, hay bales, stabilized construction entrance, and inlet protection.
All four Suffolk County municipalities border Boston Harbor or tidal water, triggering Chapter 91 (MGL c. 91) Waterways licensing for work below the high water mark. The MA Wetlands Protection Act (MGL c. 131, §40) regulates work within 100 ft of coastal resources. Boston's Coastal Flood Resilience Overlay District requires elevated construction. Revere and Winthrop have strict Velocity Zone (V-Zone) FEMA requirements.
Suffolk County has significant flood exposure, particularly in Revere (598 repetitive loss structures) and Boston's East Boston/waterfront neighborhoods. All four cities participate in NFIP. Zone AE covers coastal and low-lying areas throughout the county. MA building code requires BFE + 1 ft elevation. No county-level floodplain authority — each city manages its own floodplain program.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 131, sec. 40 (Wetlands Protection Act - Removal, fill, dredging or altering land bordering waters)
Section 40. No person shall remove, fill, dredge or alter any bank, riverfront area, fresh water wetland, coastal wetland, beach, dune, flat, marsh, meadow or swamp bordering on the ocean or on any estuary, creek, river, stream, pond, or lake, or any land under said waters or any land subject to tidal action, coastal storm flowage, or flooding, other than in the course of maintaining, repairing...
Suffolk County cities require grading permits under 780 CMR Chapter 18 (state building code foundations chapter). Boston Inspectional Services requires permits for excavation/fill exceeding 50 cubic yards. Drainage must not be directed onto neighboring properties per common-law rules and Chelsea/Revere/Winthrop local ordinances. Grading near wetlands triggers Conservation Commission jurisdiction.
3 cities in Suffolk County have their own environmental rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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Suffolk County Ordinance Hub →