An Act establishing a building permit surcharge and special revenue fund in the town of Winchester

This bill authorizes the Town of Winchester to charge a sustainability surcharge on new construction projects that require a building permit and meet a specific value threshold. The collected fees will be placed into a dedicated special revenue fund, which can only be spent through a majority vote by the Town Meeting on actual, unspent balances. These funds are intended to support environmental initiatives such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, purchasing renewable energy, and hiring staff for sustainability efforts. The bill also outlines financial reporting requirements and allows the town to close the fund and transfer remaining money to the general fund if approved by voters.