Massachusetts · statute · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 42 · 11 active provisions
Section 1. The seaward boundary of cities and towns bordering on the open sea shall coincide with the marine boundary of the commonwealth. The boundary lines in tide water between adjacent coastal municipalities, as located and defined by the board of harbor and land commissioners under chapter one hundred and ninety-s…
Section 2. The boundary markers of every town shall be located, the marks thereon renewed, and the year located marked upon the face thereof which bears the letter of the town locating its boundary, once every five years, by at least two of the selectmen of the town or by two substitutes designated by them in writing.…
Section 4. The selectmen of contiguous towns shall, at the joint and equal expense of such towns, erect permanent stone monuments at every angle of their respective boundary lines and wherever a highway crosses such lines, unless such monument, two feet high from the ground, already exists or unless such lines are boun…
Section 5. The selectmen of towns bordering on another state, if the lines between the state have been established, shall once in every five years locate the boundary markers in such lines, mark them in accordance with the provisions of section two and give notice thereof to the selectmen or other proper officer of con…
Section 6. A selectman who refuses or neglects to perform any duty required of him by the two preceding sections shall forfeit twenty dollars.
Section 7. Proposed changes in the boundary lines between adjoining towns shall be submitted to each of the towns affected by the change for their concurrence at town meetings. If approved, they shall be submitted to the department of highways of the commonwealth for review as to clarity and engineering accuracy. Said…
Section 8. If the boundary line between towns is formed wholly or partly by a stream or by a highway, a survey and plan of such stream or highway shall be made by said department, based on the triangulation common to the other town boundary lines, and the plan shall be filed in the office of said department.
Section 9. The triangulation points established by said department shall be regarded as a part of the evidence of the location of town boundary lines, and a description of the position and marks of such points shall be communicated in writing by said department to the selectmen of the towns where such points are locate…
Section 10. No person, except as hereinafter provided, shall remove, obliterate or cover up any monument or mark designating a boundary line of a town. The county commissioners of the county where any such monument or mark is wholly or partly situated may grant to any person making written application permission to rem…
Section 11. Whoever violates any provision of the preceding section, or wilfully or maliciously disturbs or injures the monuments or marks aforesaid, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months.
Section 12. If the true boundary between two or more adjacent counties, cities, towns or districts is doubtful or in dispute, the land court may determine the location thereof upon the petition of one or more of such counties, cities, towns and districts and after such notice to all other counties, cities, towns and di…