LYNN – Three months after the City Council adopted an ordinance designed to make it more attractive for biotech companies to operate in Lynn, the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council has upgraded Lynn to its highest level of readiness to host such firms.
Lynn is now one of only 37 cities and towns statewide to earn Platinum status under MassBio’s BioReady rating system, which evaluates municipalities based on zoning practices and infrastructure capacity that ease the pathway for renovation or new construction of biotech laboratory and manufacturing facilities.
“We are very pleased to earn this designation from MassBio,” said Mayor Jared C. Nicholson. “This clearly sends the message that the City is in an advantageous position in trying to attract biotech companies to locate here. Our close proximity to Boston and underutilized industrial space are assets that these companies are seeking.”
In April, the City Council adopted an ordinance creating the Lynn Biosafety Committee (LBC), which is responsible for overseeing and creating policies related to the use of recombinant DNA (rDNA), approving and reviewing permits, overseeing and reviewing worker training and manuals and developing procedures related to violations of the ordinance.
“The Council worked closely with the mayor’s office to ensure that we passed an ordinance that puts the City in position to capitalize on biotech companies looking to expand beyond Boston and Cambridge,” said City Council President Jay Walsh. “This designation from MassBio is a huge step in that direction.”
“The ordinance ensures that the City has the infrastructure and capacity to enforce National Institutes of Health guidelines outlining the permitting process and inspections,” Nicholson said.
Nicholson said the City would host a developer tour for the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center in the fall, providing an opportunity to showcase available properties for potential investment.
This story originally appeared in the Lynn Daily Item on July 17, 2022.