Wetland Resource Areas Protected by Laws
Massachusetts General Law Chapter 131, Section 40 and City (Article V Section 18) Laws and regulations protect:
- Wetlands, marshes, wet meadows, bogs or swamps
- Vernal pools
- Any bank or beach
- Any lake or pond
- Any stream or river
- Land under water bodies
- Any land subject to flooding in a 100 year storm
Buffer Zones Around Wetlands
Buffer zones are measured from the edge of a resource area, outwards. The distance measured outwards depends on the type of buffer zone or no alteration zone. These zones are as follows:
- A 125-foot Buffer Zone, for regulatory review, is established by the Framingham Wetlands Protection Bylaw.
- A 100-foot Buffer Zone, for regulatory review, is established by the State's Wetlands Protection Act.
- A 30-foot No Alteration Zone is established by the Framingham Wetlands Protection Bylaw.
- A 125- foot No Alteration Zone around both Certified and Potential Vernal Pools, is established by the Framingham Wetlands Protection Bylaw.
Independent of Buffer Zones, a 200-foot Riverfront Area applies to rivers and perennial streams (streams that run throughout the year). Please note that the 200-foot Riverfront Area is a resource area and not a buffer under both the State Act and Framingham Bylaw.
Laws & Regulations
Wetland resource areas are protected by the following laws and regulations: