The Historic Districts Act (Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 40C) provides a specific procedure for the establishment of local historic districts in Massachusetts. This process must be followed for a local historic district to be valid. The study group would suggest the approximate boundaries of the proposed local historic district. Then it would survey owners in the proposed district for their opinions about the value of such a district. The study group would want to invite property owners to neighborhood meetings to discuss the proposed local historic district. If there is sufficient interest in proceeding further, the study group would gather data on the historic homes in the proposed district and prepare a Preliminary Study Report for submission to the Town Planning Board and to the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) for their consideration and recommendations. The next step would be a public hearing on the issue, at which the language of a bylaw could be discussed. The bylaw would delineate the boundaries of the historic district and also establish a historic district commission. After the public hearing, the study committee would prepare a final report that incorporated the comments and recommendations from the Planning Board, the MHC, and the community and submit it to the Selectboard for its consideration, with a request to get it on the warrant for Town Meeting. Approval would require a two-thirds majority.