Board reviews new state variance standard

Other Committee · Meeting of October 26, 2026

SOUTHWICK — The Southwick Zoning Board of Appeals discussed a state law change that makes it harder to deny variances. Members Chris Mastroianni, Dan Tobias, Paul McWagwire and Bill Liss, with Secretary Wendy Cordiero, said a recent amendment to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A, Section 10, replaces the "hardship" standard for variances with "practical difficulty," shifting legal burden toward the board. "The burden of proof is not really any longer with the applicant," one member said.

The board previewed a pending 67R Tannery Road application seeking a 24-foot setback variance, up from a 15-foot variance granted on a neighboring lot in February 2025, with a hearing expected in January. Members also discussed a stalled 18 Brayton Drive application and an ongoing land court challenge to a prior board decision on Granville Road. No substantive votes were taken; minutes were approved and the meeting adjourned.

In the full story:

• Meeting Minutes and Administrative Items
• Upcoming Public Hearings and Quorum Planning
• 67R Tannery Road Variance Application
• 18 Brayton Drive Application
• Changes to Massachusetts Variance Law Under MGL Chapter 40A
• Granville Road Land Court Case
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,031 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of October 26, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.