[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Southborough 5-4-2022 ATM by Art. 30. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This Article shall apply to any multi-member board that qualifies as a "Public Body" under the provisions of M.G.L. c. 30A, § 18.
If a Public Body has been explicitly granted authority by a statute or Town bylaw to promulgate rules or regulations with which the public must comply ("Regulations"), prior to promulgating or amending such Regulations, it shall hold a public hearing with respect thereto. The Town Clerk shall be provided and post on the Town's website a suitable Notice of such public hearing at least seven days prior to the date of the hearing. The Notice shall include a copy of the proposed Regulations, or a summary providing at least the subject of the proposed Regulations and nature of any change. In the latter case, a copy of the complete proposed Regulations shall be available for public inspection on the Town website and at the Town Clerk's office. The Notice may be combined with the posted agenda for a public meeting, provided that it meets all requirements of this § 43-2.
A. 
If changes to the proposed Regulations are adopted following the Notice, prior to and including during the hearing, a subsequent hearing on the revised Regulations is not required, provided that the Regulations may not take effect until seven days after the hearing is closed.
B. 
A Regulation shall not take effect until it has been approved in a public meeting by a vote of the Public Body, and its final form is posted on the Town's website and available for public inspection in the Town Clerk's office.
C. 
In an emergency involving the public health, safety, or welfare, a Public Body may promulgate temporary Regulations with less than seven days' prior notice and enforce them with immediate effect, but before they may become permanent a hearing to consider the Regulations must be noticed and held as specified in § 43-2. Such hearing shall be scheduled as soon as practicable after temporary Regulations are promulgated. Temporary Regulations shall expire no later than 30 days from issuance unless made permanent.
D. 
To the extent that any statute permits a Public Body to promulgate Regulations with less public notice than specified herein, such Public Body is strongly encouraged to voluntarily comply with this bylaw.
If a Public Body provides public notice of another hearing to be held by said body, it may combine Notice hereunder with said hearing's notice, provided that the combined notice meets all requirements of both notices.