Chapter 61 Information

Rising property values and taxes can make owning your land expensive. The Chapter 61 programs give Massachusetts landowners like you an opportunity to reduce their property taxes in exchange for providing important public benefits like clean water, wildlife habitat, rural character, wood products, food, and outdoor recreation. Because undeveloped land provides valuable public benefits and requires fewer costly town services, the Chapter 61 programs offer a property tax break for landowners willing to commit to keeping some or all of their land undeveloped for a specified period of time. The Chapter 61 programs can be helpful tools for keeping your land affordable and reaching your ownership goals. These programs can also help you as you plan for the long-term future of your land.

Three Different Chapter 61 Programs

  • Chapter 61 - Forestry
  • Chapter 61A - Agriculture
  • Chapter 61B - Open Space and Recreation

All the programs aim to keep land undeveloped, and each program focuses on a different type of land use. You are allowed to change your enrollment from one Chapter 61 program to another without penalty, although to save time and effort, it is recommended that you choose the program that best fits your current and desired future land use, as well as your financial needs (DCR, 2022).

For more general information regarding Chapter 61, please visit:

For specific information regarding Chapter 61 for the Town of Franklin, please see: