Massachusetts Scenic Roads Act protects trees and stone walls along designated scenic roads, requiring public hearing before any removal or alteration.
G.L. c. 40 Section 15C, the Scenic Roads Act, allows municipalities to designate roads as scenic. Once designated, no tree within the right-of-way may be cut or removed and no stone wall destroyed without prior written consent of the planning board after a public hearing with notice. The protection is in addition to public shade tree protections under c. 87. While designation is local, the procedural protections and statewide standard for hearings are dictated by state law and cannot be weakened by municipalities.
Cutting or removal without planning board consent violates state law and exposes the violator to injunctive relief and replacement costs.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Waltham, MA
Waltham sits under Boston Logan arrival corridors and is affected by federal FAA regulations, with local enforcement limited to ground noise.
Waltham, MA
Waltham permits leaf blowers during daytime hours only, with seasonal restrictions being debated as part of regional Boston suburb trends.
Waltham, MA
Waltham enforces nighttime quiet hours under Chapter 10 of the Municipal Code, with stricter limits in residential zones near Brandeis and Bentley campuses.
Waltham, MA
Construction noise in Waltham is restricted to daytime hours to protect residential neighborhoods and students living near Brandeis and Bentley Universities.
Waltham, MA
Waltham requires electrical permits for home EV chargers and follows Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code requiring EV-ready parking in new multifamily and comm...
Waltham, MA
Waltham enforces metered parking downtown, resident permit zones in dense neighborhoods, and a citywide winter parking ban during snow emergencies.
See how Waltham's heritage & protected trees rules stack up against other locations.
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