Don Pinto Mentioned in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly: Local Affordable Housing Subdivision Provision Nixed

A recent Massachusetts Land Court decision found that the town of Stoneham’s zoning bylaw, which requires developers of residential subdivisions of eight or more lots to obtain a separate special permit that imposes affordable housing requirements, runs afoul of the Commonwealth’s Subdivision Control Law. The Court found that the town’s affordable housing bylaw, “exceeded the scope of the Planning Board’s powers.”

As word spreads about this decision in Estate of Virginia L. Isola v. Town of Stoneham, “several cities and towns will be reviewing and potentially amending similar provisions in their bylaws, lawyers say.”

As the article notes, firm land use litigation partner Donald R. Pinto, Jr., who successfully represented the plaintiff estate in this case, has represented clients in several similar cases before the Land Court with similar successful outcomes.

The complete article by Kris Olson can be found in the January 19, 2024 issue of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Don Pinto has more than 35 years of experience as a civil litigator with a focus on complex real estate and land use disputes. He handles cases at the trial and appellate levels in the state and federal courts and before administrative agencies.