Wetland Laws & Regulations

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: