Summary of Demolition Delay Bylaws in Massachusetts
As of March 2004, 98 Massachusetts communities had demolition delay bylaws to protect local historic resources. There are now over 100.
Most communities use 6 month delays, but a wide variety of delay periods are used, including 30-45 days, and 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, or 12 months. An 18 month delay period was recently proposed.
The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) recommends a 12 month delay “because of the time-consuming planning efforts that are necessary when rehabilitation or moving an historic building are pursued.”
Other Massachusetts communities with 12 month delay periods include, but are not limited to (based on a partial computer search):
