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Spot Zoning

"It is unlawful to invoke the zoning power solely to confer an economic benefit (or impose an economic detriment) upon the owner of a comparatively small area within a zoning district when the remaining parcels of that district are treated differently... Where a rezoned area is not "sufficiently differentiated" from other surrounding land to support a change in the established classification, that rezoning is a violation."

Spot Zoning refers to the practice of treating one parcel of land differently than the parcels which surround it (see above). While Hadley's legal counsel determined that rezoning the bison farm would not be spot zoning, there are some of us who still question the wisdom of zoning one parcel on Route 9 differently than the parcels adjacent to it. Hadley residents, in response to a long range planning poll, overwhelmingly said they did NOT want to widen the commercial zone along Route 9 to 1,000 feet (most of Route 9 is zoned commercial for only 500 feet back from the road). Why are we treating the Bison Farm differently?

See below for more about spot zoning.

Is Bison Farm Rezone Illegal? —: Chairman of the Hadley Long Range Planning Committee Chair requests a legal review. See letter and related court findings.

"Making the Case against Spot Zoning" — Read about Kingston, MA and Dunkin' Donuts. (see article)