No property shall be taken without the consent of the owner thereof, nor shall an easement be taken on such property without such consent, unless notice of intent to take such property is given to the owner of such property at least thirty days prior to the date of the actual taking. The provisions of this section shall not apply to takings on behalf of the commonwealth, county, city or town. Said provisions shall also not apply to takings authorized by the department of telecommunications and energy, except that in such takings notice of hearings required by section seventy-two of chapter one hundred and sixty-four shall be sent to the owners of any property to be taken.
Massachusetts Legal Code