CLASSIFICATION AND TAXATION OF RECREATIONAL LAND

M.G.L. pt. Part I, tit. Title IX, ch. c. 61B

in effect

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 1 Recreational land and uses

c. 61B, § 1. Recreational land and uses Section 1. Land not less than five acres in area shall be deemed to be recreational land if it is retained in substantially a natural, wild, or open condition or in a landscaped or pasture condition or in a managed forest condition under a certified forest management plan approved by and subject to procedures established by the state forester in such a manner as to allow to a significant extent the preservation of wildlife and other natural resources, including but not limited to, ground or surface water resources, clean air, vegetation, rare or endangered species, geologic features, high quality soils, and scenic resources. Land not less than five acres in area shall also be deemed to be recreational land which is devoted primarily to recreational use and which does not materially interfere with the environmental benefits which are derived from said land, and is available to the general public or to members of a non-profit organization including a corporation organized under chapter one hundred and eighty. For the purpose of this chapter, the term recreational use shall be limited to the following: hiking, camping, nature study and observation, boating, golfing, non-commercial youth soccer, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, skiing, swimming, picnicking, private non-commercial flying, including hang gliding, archery, target shooting and commercial horseback riding and equine boarding. Such recreational use shall not include horse racing, dog racing, or any sport normally undertaken in a stadium, gymnasium or similar structure.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 2 Value of recreational land; rate of tax

c. 61B, § 2. Value of recreational land; rate of tax Section 2. The value of land classified under the provisions of this chapter shall be determined under section thirty-eight of chapter fifty-nine solely on the basis of its use. The board of assessors shall assess such land at valuations based upon the guidelines established under the provisions of chapter fifty-eight, but in no event shall such valuation exceed twenty-five per cent of its fair cash value as determined pursuant to chapter fifty-nine. The rate of tax applicable to such recreational land shall be the rate determined to be applicable to class three, commercial property under chapter fifty-nine.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 2A Tax rate for recreational land

c. 61B, § 2A. Tax rate for recreational land Section 2A. In a city or town that accepts this section, the rate of tax applicable to recreational land shall be the rate determined to be applicable to class two, open space.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 3 Eligibility for classification as recreational

c. 61B, § 3. Eligibility for classification as recreational Section 3. The eligibility of land for valuation, assessment and taxation pursuant to this chapter shall be determined separately for each tax year. An application for eligibility shall be submitted to the board of assessors in the city or town in which the land is situated by not later than December 1 of the preceding tax year for which the valuation, assessment and taxation is being sought. The application shall be made on a form prescribed by the commissioner of revenue and provided to applicants by the board of assessors. The form shall provide for the reporting of information pertinent to this chapter and for certification by the applicant that the applicant will immediately, but not later than the December 1 of the following year, notify the board of assessors in writing of any subsequent circumstance within the applicant's control or knowledge which may cause a change in use of the land covered by the form. An application submitted pursuant to this section for leased land shall be accompanied by a written statement of the lessee's intent to use the land for the purposes in the application and shall be signed by the lessee. The landowner shall certify under the penalties of perjury, in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, that the information in the landowner's application is true. If the application is allowed pursuant to section 6, the classification of the land as recreational land shall take effect on January 1 preceding the beginning of the tax year to which the application relates and taxation pursuant to this chapter shall commence with that tax year.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 4 Changes in use; valuation; additional assessments

c. 61B, § 4. Changes in use; valuation; additional assessments Section 4. If a change in use of land maintained as recreational land as defined in section one occurs between December 1 and June 30 of the year preceding the tax year, the board of assessors shall disallow or nullify the application filed under authority of section three, and, after examination and inquiry, shall determine the full and fair value of said land under the valuation standard applicable to other land and shall assess the same according to such value. If, notwithstanding such change of use, the land is valued, assessed and taxed under the provisions of this chapter in the ensuing year, upon notice thereof said board shall enter an assessment and the amount of the increased tax resulting from such assessment, as an added assessment and tax against such land, for the particular year involved in the manner prescribed in section seventy-five of chapter fifty-nine. The amount of the added assessment shall be equal to the difference, if any, between the assessment imposed under this chapter and the assessment which would have been imposed had the land been valued and assessed as other land. The enforcement and collection of additional taxes resulting from any additional assessment so imposed shall be as provided by said chapters fifty-nine and sixty.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 5 Revaluation programs; time for application for recreational classification

c. 61B, § 5. Revaluation programs; time for application for recreational classification Section 5. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, in any tax year for which a city or town has undertaken and completed a program of revaluation of all property in that city or town and the commissioner of revenue has certified that revalued property is assessed by the board of assessors at full and fair cash valuation, applications by landowners for the valuation, assessment and taxation of their lands on the basis of being maintained in recreational use, if filed with the board of assessors by not later than the last day for filing an application for abatement of the tax assessed on the new valuation, shall be deemed to have been timely made for the tax year of the revaluation program. If the application is approved and the lands qualify for valuation, assessment and taxation as lands actively devoted to agricultural, horticultural or agricultural and horticultural use in that tax year, the portion of a tax assessed for that year which is in excess of the tax which would have been assessed on the lands if the application had been timely made and approved, shall be abated.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 6 Allowance or disallowance of applications; time; records; liens

c. 61B, § 6. Allowance or disallowance of applications; time; records; liens Section 6. An application for valuation, assessment and taxation of land under the provisions of this chapter shall be allowed or disallowed by the board of assessors of the city or town in which such land is located within three months of the filing thereof. An application for valuation, assessment and taxation of land under the provisions of this chapter shall be disallowed by the board of assessors of the city or town in which such land is located if, in their judgment such land, in whole or in part, does not qualify thereunder. If any board of assessors shall determine that any such application is submitted for the purpose of evading payment of full and proper taxes, such board shall disallow such application. The failure of a board of assessors to allow or disallow any such application within three months following the filing thereof, shall be deemed an allowance of such application. The board of assessors shall, within ten days of an allowance, or disallowance, send written notice of such allowance, or disallowance, by certified mail to the applicant and shall set forth therein the reason or reasons for disallowance together with a statement advising the applicant of his right to appeal therefrom as provided in section fourteen. In the case of a partial disallowance, the applicant shall be permitted to file an amendment to the original application. With respect to the first application relating to a parcel of land which has been approved, and any subsequent such applications after a lapse of time when such land has not been valued, assessed and taxed under this chapter or after a change of record ownership of such land, the board of assessors shall forthwith cause to be recorded in the registry of deeds of the county or district in which the city or town is situated a statement of their action which shall constitute a lien upon the land covered by such application for such taxes as may be levied under the provisions of this chapter. The statement shall name the owner or owners of record and shall include a description of the land adequate for identification. Unless such a statement is recorded the lien shall not be effective with respect to a bona fide purchaser or other transferee without actual knowledge of such lien. Upon application of any record owner, such liens shall be released by the board of assessors with respect to any parcel of land as hereinafter provided upon the applicable facts being established by records, affidavits or otherwise. All liens for conveyance tax under section seven shall be released upon its being established that no conveyance or change of use by the owner at the time of such release will result in a conveyance tax under said section seven or that any such taxes which have become due have been paid. All liens for roll-back taxes under section eight, other than roll-back taxes based on change of use after the date of such release, shall be released upon its being so established that no roll-back taxes have become due or that any such taxes which have become due have been paid. The board of assessors shall also have the power and authority to release any such liens to correct any errors or omissions. Any release under this section shall be recorded with the registry of deeds. When any land which has been valued, assessed and taxed under this chapter ceases to be so valued, assessed and taxed the board of assessors shall forthwith record in the said registry of deeds a statement to that effect which shall include the name of the record owner or owners, the date when such land ceased to be so valued, assessed and taxed and a description of the land adequate for identification. All recording fees paid under this chapter whether for statements of liens, certificates, releases or otherwise shall be borne by the owner of record of the land.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 7 Land sold for other uses; conveyance tax; nonexempt transfers

c. 61B, § 7. Land sold for other uses; conveyance tax; nonexempt transfers Section 7. Any recreational land which is valued, assessed and taxed under the provisions of this chapter, if sold for other use within a period of ten years from the beginning of the fiscal year in which it was first so classified shall be subject to a conveyance tax applicable to the total sales price of such land, which tax shall be in addition to such taxes as may be imposed under any other provision of law. Said conveyance tax shall be at the following rate: ten per cent if sold within the first five years of its being first so classified; and, five per cent if sold within the sixth through tenth year of its being first so classified. No conveyance tax shall be imposed under the provisions of this section following the end of the tenth year of its being first so classified. The conveyance tax shall be due and payable by the grantor at the time of transfer of the property by deed or other instrument of conveyance and shall be payable to the tax collector of the city or town in which the property is entered upon the tax list. In the case of taking by eminent domain, the value of the property taken shall be determined in accordance with chapter 79, and the amount of conveyance tax, if any, shall be added as an added value. If there is filed with the board of assessors an affidavit by the purchaser that the land is being purchased for recreational use, no conveyance tax shall be payable by the seller by reason of the sale, but if the land is not continued in that use for at least 5 consecutive years, the purchaser shall be liable for any conveyance tax that would have been payable on the sale as a sale for other use. The conveyance tax shall be assessed only on the portion of land whose use has changed. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, no conveyance tax shall be assessed if the land involved, or a lesser interest in the land, is acquired for a natural resource purpose by the city or town in which it is situated, by the commonwealth or by a nonprofit conservation organization, but if any portion of the land is sold for or converted to commercial, residential, or industrial use within 5 years of acquisition by a nonprofit conservation organization, the conveyance tax shall be assessed against the nonprofit conservation organization in the amount that would have been assessed at the time of acquisition of the subject parcel by the nonprofit conservation organization had such transaction been subject to a conveyance tax. The conveyance tax shall be assessed only on the portion of land whose use has changed. Except with respect to eminent domain takings, this section shall not apply to the following: mortgage deeds; deeds to or by the city or town in which the land is located; deeds which correct, modify, supplement or confirm a deed previously recorded; deeds between husband and wife and parent and child when no consideration is received; tax deeds; deeds releasing any property which is a security for a debt or other obligation; deeds for division of property between owners without monetary consideration; foreclosures of mortgages and conveyances by the foreclosing parties; deeds made pursuant to a merger of a corporation or by a subsidiary corporation to a parent corporation for no consideration other than cancellation and surrender of capital stock of the subsidiary which do not change beneficial ownership; and property transferred by devise or other as a result of death. A nonexempt transfer subsequent to any exempt transfer or transfers shall be subject to the provisions of this section. Upon such nonexempt transfer the date of acquisition by the grantor, for purposes of this section, shall be deemed to be the date of the last preceding transfer not excluded by the foregoing provisions from application of this section; except that in the case of transfer by a grantor who has acquired the property from a foreclosing mortgagee the date of acquisition shall be deemed to be the date of such acquisition. If any tax imposed under this section should not be paid, the collector of taxes shall have the same powers and be subject to the same duties with respect to such taxes as in the case of the annual taxes upon real estate. The law in regard to the collection of the annual taxes, to the sale of land for the nonpayment thereof and to redemption therefrom shall apply to such taxes, so far as the same are applicable. Any classified recreational land which is valued, assessed and taxed under the provisions of this chapter, if changed by the owner thereof to another use within a period of ten years from the date of its classification for recreational use by said owner, shall be subject to the conveyance tax applicable hereunder at the time of such change in use as if there had been an actual conveyance, and the value of such land for the purpose of determining a total sales price shall be fair market value as determined by the board of assessors of the city or town involved for all other property. Notwithstanding this section, no conveyance tax imposed by this section will be assessed on land that meets the definition of forest land under section 1 of chapter 61 or the definition of agricultural land under sections 1 and 3 of chapter 61A or the definition of horticultural land under sections 2 and 3 of chapter 61A.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 8 Disqualification of land; roll-back taxes

c. 61B, § 8. Disqualification of land; roll-back taxes Section 8. Whenever land which is valued, assessed and taxed under this chapter no longer meets the definition of recreational use, it shall be subject to additional taxes, in this section called roll-back taxes, in the current tax year in which it is disqualified and in each of the 4 immediately preceding tax years in which the land was so valued, assessed and taxed, but the roll-back taxes shall not apply unless the amount of the taxes, as computed under this section, exceeds the amount, if any, imposed under section 7 and, in that case, the land shall not be subject to the conveyance tax imposed under said section 7. For each tax year, the roll-back tax shall be equal to the difference, if any, between the taxes paid or payable for that tax year in accordance with this chapter and the taxes that would have been paid or payable had the land been valued, assessed and taxed without regard to these provisions. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, no roll-back taxes shall be assessed if the land involved, or a lesser interest in the land, is acquired for a natural resource purpose by the city or town in which it is situated, by the commonwealth or by a nonprofit conservation organization, but if any portion of the land is sold or converted to commercial, residential, or industrial use within 5 years after acquisition by a nonprofit conservation organization, roll-back taxes shall be assessed against the nonprofit conservation organization in the amount that would have been assessed at the time of acquisition of the subject parcel by the nonprofit conservation organization had the transaction been subject to a roll-back tax. If, at the time during a tax year when a change in land use has occurred, the land was not then valued, assessed and taxed under the provisions of this chapter, then such land shall be subject to roll-back taxes only for such of the 5 immediately preceding years in which the land was valued, assessed and taxed thereunder. In determining the amount of roll-back taxes on land which has undergone a change in use, the board of assessors shall have ascertained the following for each of the roll-back tax years involved: (a) the full and fair value of such land under the valuation standard applicable to other land in the city or town; (b) the amount of the land assessment for the particular tax year; (c) the amount of the additional assessment on the land for the particular tax year by deducting the amount of the actual assessment on the land for that year from the amount of the land assessment determined under clause (a); and, (d) the amount of the roll-back tax for that tax year by multiplying the amount of the additional assessment determined under clause (c) by the general property tax rate of the city or town applicable for that tax year. Interest on roll-back taxes shall be payable and shall be computed as simple interest at 5 per cent per annum. If the board of assessors determines that the total amount of the roll-back taxes to be assessed under this section, before the addition of any interest as provided for in the preceding paragraph, would be less than $10, no tax shall be assessed. No roll-back tax imposed by this section will be assessed on land that meets the definition of forest land under section 1 of chapter 61, agricultural land under sections 1 and 3 of chapter 61A, or horticultural land under sections 2 and 3 of chapter 61A. Land retained as open space as required for the mitigation of a development shall be subject to the roll-back taxes imposed by this section.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 9 Notice of intent to sell for or convert to other use; option of first refusal; assignment of option

c. 61B, § 9. Notice of intent to sell for or convert to other use; option of first refusal; assignment of option Section 9. Land taxed under this chapter shall not be sold for, or converted to, residential, industrial or commercial use while so taxed or within 1 year after that time unless the city or town in which the land is located has been notified of the intent to sell for, or to convert to, that other use. The discontinuance of recreational use shall not, in itself, for the purposes of this section, be considered a conversion. Specific use of land for a residence for the owner, the owner's spouse or a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, or brother or sister of the owner, or surviving husband or wife of any deceased such relative, or for living quarters for any persons actively employed full-time in the use and care of such land for recreational purposes, shall not be a conversion for the purposes of this section, and a certificate of the board of assessors, recorded with the registry of deeds, shall conclusively establish that particular use. Any notice of intent to sell for such other use shall be accompanied by a statement of intent to sell, a statement of proposed use of the land, the location and acreage of land as shown on a map drawn at the scale of the assessors map in the city or town in which the land is situated, and the name, address and telephone number of the landowner. Any notice of intent to sell for other use shall be accompanied by a certified copy of an executed purchase and sale agreement specifying the purchase price and all terms and conditions of the proposed sale, which is limited to only the property classified under this chapter, and which shall be a bona fide offer as described below. Any notice of intent to sell for other use shall also be accompanied by any additional agreements or a statement of any additional consideration for any contiguous land under the same ownership, and not classified under this chapter, but sold or to be sold contemporaneously with the proposed sale. For the purposes of this chapter, a bona fide offer to purchase shall mean a good faith offer, not dependent upon potential changes to current zoning or conditions or contingencies relating to the potential for, or the potential extent of, subdivision of the property for residential use or the potential for, or the potential extent of development of the property for industrial or commercial use, made by a party unaffiliated with the landowner for a fixed consideration payable upon delivery of the deed. Any notice of intent to convert to other use shall be accompanied by a statement of intent to convert, a statement of proposed use of such land, the location and acreage of land as shown on a map drawn at the scale of the assessors map in the city or town in which the land is situated, the name, address and telephone number of the landowner and the landowner's attorney, if any. The notice of intent to sell or convert shall be sent by the landowner by certified mail or hand delivered to the mayor and city council of a city, or board of selectmen of a town, and in the case of either a city or a town, to its board of assessors, to its planning board and conservation commission, if any, and to the state forester. A notarized affidavit that the landowner has mailed or delivered a notice of intent to sell or convert shall be conclusive evidence that the landowner has mailed the notice in the manner and at the time specified. Each affidavit shall have attached to it a copy of the notice of intent to which it relates. The notice of intent to sell or convert shall be considered to have been duly mailed if addressed to the mayor and city council or board of selectmen in care of the city or town clerk; to the planning board and conservation commission if addressed to them directly; to the state forester if addressed to the commissioner of the department of conservation and recreation and to the assessors if addressed to them directly. If the notice of intent to sell or convert does not contain all of the material as described above, then the town or city, within 30 days after receipt, shall notify the landowner in writing that notice is insufficient and does not comply. For a period of 120 days after the day following the latest date of deposit in the United States mail of any notice which complies with this section, the city or town shall have, in the case of intended sale, a first refusal option to meet a bona fide offer to purchase the land. In the case of intended or determined conversion not involving sale, the municipality shall have an option to purchase the land at full and fair market value to be determined by an impartial appraisal performed by a certified appraiser hired at the expense of the municipality or its assignee, the original appraisal to be completed and delivered to the landowner within 30 days after the notice of conversion to the municipality. In the event that the landowner is dissatisfied with the original appraisal, the landowner may, at the landowner's expense contract for a second appraisal, to be completed within 60 days after the delivery of the notice to convert. If, after completion of the second appraisal, the parties cannot agree on a consideration, the parties will contract with a mutually acceptable appraiser for a third appraisal whose cost will be borne equally by both parties. The third appraisal shall be delivered to both parties within 90 days after the notice of conversion to the municipality and shall be the final determination of consideration. Upon agreement of a consideration, the city or town shall then have 120 days to exercise its option. During the appraisal process, the landowner may revoke the intent to convert at any time and with no recourse to either party. The option may be exercised only after a public hearing followed by written notice signed by the mayor or board of selectmen, mailed to the landowner by certified mail at the address that is specified in the notice of intent. Notice of the public hearing shall be given in accordance with section 23B of chapter 39. The notice of exercise shall also be recorded at the registry of deeds and shall contain the name of the record owner of the land and description of the premises adequate for identification of them. The notice to the landowner of the city or town's election to exercise its option shall be accompanied by a proposed purchase and sale contract or other agreement between the city or town and the landowner which, if executed, shall be fulfilled within a period of not more than 90 days after the date the contract or agreement, endorsed by the landowner, is returned by certified mail to the mayor or board of selectmen, or upon expiration of any extended period that the landowner has agreed to in writing, whichever is later. At the public hearing or a further public hearing, the city or town may assign its option to a nonprofit conservation organization or to the commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions under the terms and conditions that the mayor or board of selectmen may consider appropriate. Notice of the public hearing shall be given in accordance with section 23B of chapter 39. The assignment shall be for the purpose of maintaining not less than 70 per cent of the land in use as forest land as defined in section 1 of chapter 61, as agricultural and horticultural land as described in sections 1 and 2 of chapter 61A or as recreation land as described in section 1 of this chapter and the assignee shall not develop a greater proportion of the land than was proposed by the developer whose offer gave rise to the assignment. All land other than land that is to be developed shall then be bound by a permanent deed restriction that meets the requirements of chapter 184. If the first refusal option has been assigned to a nonprofit conservation organization or to the commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions as provided in this section, the mayor or board of selectmen shall provide written notice of assignment to the landowner. The notice of assignment shall state the name and address of the organization or agency of the commonwealth which will exercise the option in addition to the terms and conditions of the assignment. The notice of assignment shall be recorded with the registry of deeds. Failure to record either the notice of exercise or the notice of assignment within the 120 day period shall be conclusive evidence that the city or town has not exercised its option. If the option has been assigned to a nonprofit conservation organization or to the commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, the option may be exercised by the assignee only by written notice to the landowner signed by the assignee, mailed to the landowner by certified mail at the address that is specified in the notice of intent. The notice of exercise shall also be recorded with the registry of deeds and shall contain the name of the record owner of the land and description of the premises adequate for identification of them. The notice of exercise to the landowner shall be accompanied by a proposed purchase and sale contract or other agreement between the assignee and landowner which, if executed, shall be fulfilled within a period of not more than 90 days, or upon expiration of any extended period that the landowner has agreed to in writing, from the date the contract or agreement, endorsed by the landowner, is returned by certified mail to the assignee. During the 120 day period, the city or town or its assignees, shall have the right, at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, to enter upon the land for the purpose of surveying and inspecting said land, including but not limited to soil testing for purposes of Title V and the taking of water samples. The city or town or its assignee shall have all rights assigned to the buyer in the purchase and sales agreement contained in the notice of intent. If the city or town elects not to exercise the option, and not to assign its right to exercise the option, the city or town shall send written notice of nonexercise signed by the mayor or board of selectmen to the landowner by certified mail at the address that is specified in the notice of intent. The notice of nonexercise shall contain the name of the owner of record of the land and description of the premises adequate for identification of them, and shall be recorded with the registry of deeds. No sale or conversion of the land shall be consummated until the option period has expired or the notice of nonexercise has been recorded with the registry of deeds, and no sale of the land shall be consummated if the terms of the sale differ in any material way from the terms of the purchase and sale agreement which accompanied the bona fide offer to purchase as described in the notice of intent to sell except as provided herein. This section shall not apply to a mortgage foreclosure sale, but the holder of a mortgage shall, at least 90 days before a foreclosure sale, send written notice of the time and place of the sale to the parties in the manner described in this section for notice of intent to sell or convert, and the giving of that notice may be established by an affidavit as described in this section.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 10 Buildings on recreational land; land occupied by dwellings or used for family living; taxation

c. 61B, § 10. Buildings on recreational land; land occupied by dwellings or used for family living; taxation Section 10. All building located on land which is valued, assessed and taxed on the basis of its recreational use in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and all land occupied by a dwelling or regularly used for family living shall be valued, assessed and taxed by the same standards, methods and procedures as other taxable property.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 11 Continuance of classification

c. 61B, § 11. Continuance of classification Section 11. Continuance of land valuation, assessment and taxation under the provisions of this chapter shall depend upon continuance of such land in recreational use and compliance with other requirements of this chapter and not upon continuance in the same owner of title to such land. Liability to roll-back taxes, determined pursuant to section eight shall attach when such land no longer qualifies as recreational land actively and shall be the obligation of the then owner of the land. For purposes relating to roll-back taxes such qualification shall depend on the actual use of such land for the previous 5 years, and not on the filing of application under section three for any year.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 12 Separation of land for non-recreational use

c. 61B, § 12. Separation of land for non-recreational use Section 12. If, by conveyance or other action of the owner thereof, a portion of land which is valued, assessed and taxed under the provisions of this chapter is separated for a use which does not qualify as recreational land, the land so separated shall be subject to liability for conveyance or roll-back taxes applicable thereto, but such separation shall not impair the right of the remainder of such land to continuance of valuation, assessment and taxation thereunder; provided, however, that such remaining land continues to so qualify.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 13 Special or betterment assessments

c. 61B, § 13. Special or betterment assessments Section 13. Land qualifying for valuation, assessment and taxation under this chapter shall be subject to special assessments or betterment assessments to such pro rata extent as the service or facility financed by such assessment is used for improving the recreational use capability of said land or for the personal benefit of the owner thereof. This assessment shall, however, upon application, be suspended during the time the land is in classified recreational use and shall become due and payable as of the date when the use of the land is changed. Payment of the assessment and interest on it shall be made in accordance with section 13 of chapter 80, but the interest shall be computed from the date of the change in use. If only a portion of a tract of land which benefits from a suspension of payment is changed from that use, the assessment shall become due and payable as of the date when the use was changed only to the extent of and in the proportion that the frontage of that portion bears to the street frontage of the entire tract of land which originally benefited from a suspension of payment. Upon receipt of full payment of a portion of a suspended assessment, the tax collector shall dissolve the lien for the assessment insofar as it affects the portion of the land changed from recreational use. The lien for the portion of the original assessment which remains unpaid shall continue and remain in full force and effect until dissolved in accordance with law. A request for this release shall be made in writing to the tax collector and shall be accompanied by a plan and other information that is required in the case of a request for a division of an assessment under section 10.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 14 Roll-back taxes; procedures for assessment, etc.; modification or abatement; appeals

c. 61B, § 14. Roll-back taxes; procedures for assessment, etc.; modification or abatement; appeals Section 14. The assessment, collection, apportionment and payment over of the roll-back taxes imposed by section eight shall be governed by the procedures provided for the assessment and taxation of omitted property under section seventy-five of chapter fifty-nine. Such procedures shall apply to each tax year for which roll-back taxes may be imposed notwithstanding the limitation set forth in said chapter fifty-nine with respect to the periods for which omitted property assessments may be imposed. Any person aggrieved by any determination or assessment by the board of assessors under this chapter may within 30 days of the date of notice thereof apply in writing to the assessors for modification or abatement thereof. Any person aggrieved by the refusal of the assessors to modify such a determination or make such an abatement or by their failure to act upon such an application may appeal to the appellate tax board within thirty days after the date of notice of their decision or within three months of the date of the application, whichever date is later. It shall be a condition of such appeal with respect to the annual general property tax that the asserted tax be paid, but no payment shall be required as a condition of such appeal with respect to any asserted conveyance tax or roll-back tax. If any payment of any tax imposed by this chapter should be made and as the result of any such modification or abatement by the board of assessors or decision by the appellate tax board it shall appear that any such tax has been overpaid, such excess payment shall be reimbursed by the town treasurer with interest at the rate of six per cent per annum from time of payment. Collection of any conveyance or roll-back taxes, by sale or taking or otherwise, may be stayed by the appellate tax board while any such appeal is pending. Any partial payment of the asserted tax that may be required by the appellate tax board in connection with such tax shall not exceed one-half of the asserted tax.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 15 Certificate of amount of conveyance or roll-back tax

c. 61B, § 15. Certificate of amount of conveyance or roll-back tax Section 15. In connection with any proposed or completed sale or other transfer of any land which has been valued, assessed and taxed under the provisions of this chapter, the owner of record of the land may apply to the board of assessors for a certificate of the amount of conveyance tax and roll-back tax, if any, payable by reason of such sale or other transfer, or that no such tax is payable and stating the amount of any conveyance or roll-back taxes that are payable with respect to such land. Such certificate shall be provided to the applicant within twenty days after application therefor. Such certificate may be recorded with the registry of deeds, and upon such recording of such a certificate become payable, or a certificate by the collector of taxes that the amount of tax stated in such certificate of the board of assessors has been paid, all liens on such land for taxes under this chapter shall terminate, except that any liens for any roll-back taxes assessed by reason of land ceasing to qualify for valuation, assessment and taxation under this chapter after the date of such sale or other transfer, shall continue. In connection with the issuance of such a certificate, the board of assessors may rely upon their own records, affidavits and such other information as they may deem appropriate. The board of assessors shall charge six dollars for each certificate so issued, and the money so received shall be paid into the town treasury.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 16 Equalized valuation based on recreational use

c. 61B, § 16. Equalized valuation based on recreational use Section 16. In determining the equalization required by section nine of chapter fifty-eight, the commissioner of revenue shall determine the value of such land on the basis of its recreational use.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 17 Tax list of board of assessors; information required

c. 61B, § 17. Tax list of board of assessors; information required Section 17. The factual details to be shown on the tax list of a board of assessors with respect to land which is valued, assessed and taxed under this chapter shall be the same as those set forth by said board with respect to other taxable property in the same city or town.

M.G.L. c. 61B, § 18 Rules and regulations; forms and procedures

c. 61B, § 18. Rules and regulations; forms and procedures Section 18. The commissioner of revenue shall promulgate such rules and regulations and shall prescribe the use of such forms and procedures as he deems appropriate to and consistent with effectuation of the purposes of this chapter.

Source: Massachusetts General Court (malegislature.gov)URL: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIX/Chapter61BFetched: 10/20/2026