Carl King Quoted in the Boston Globe

“Top Court Backs Towns in Curbing McMansions”

Carl King is quoted in the article, “Top Court Backs Towns in Curbing McMansions,” published in the January 8, 2008 issue of the Boston Globe. The article reports on the decision by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts that upheld the right of local officials to stop developers from tearing down small houses to build McMansions in their place.

Carl noted that the decision has “very far-reaching ramifications on the question of mansionization” in communities near Boston. He observed that the court gave wide latitude to town officials to determine whether a house is appropriate for the neighborhood: "If somebody buys a piece of land with a house on it, if the lot is undersized, they can't tear down the house and build a larger one without having the zoning board of appeals review it." The article notes that Carl wrote the American Planning Board's brief filed in the case supporting Norwell's position.