These regulations are enacted to promote the general welfare
of the Town, to protect the health and safety of its inhabitants,
to encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the town,
to preserve the cultural, historical and agricultural heritage of
the community, to increase the amenities of the town, and to reduce
the hazard from fire by regulating the location and use of buildings
and the area of open space around them, all as authorized by, but
not limited to, the provisions of the Zoning Act, MGL c. 40A, as amended,
and Section 2A of 1975 Mass. Acts 808.
This Zoning By-Law ("this chapter") is enacted in accordance
with the provisions of the General Laws, Chapter 40A, and any and
all amendments thereto, and by Article 89 of the Amendments to the
Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
For these purposes, the construction, repair, alteration, reconstruction,
height, number of stories, and size of buildings and structures, the
size and width of lots, the percentage of lot area that may be occupied,
the size of yards, courts, and other open spaces, the density of population,
and the location and use of buildings, structures, and land in the
Town are regulated as hereinafter provided.
All buildings or structures hereinafter erected, reconstructed,
altered, enlarged, or moved, and the use of all premises in the Town,
shall be in conformity with the provisions of the Zoning By-Law. No
building, structure or land shall be used for any purpose or in any
manner other than is expressly permitted within the district in which
such building, structure or land is located. Where the application
of this chapter imposes greater restrictions than those imposed by
any other regulations, permits, restrictions, easements, covenants,
or agreements, the provisions of this chapter shall control.
A. Applicability; Nonconformities. Except as herein after provided,
this chapter shall not apply to structures or uses lawfully in existence
or lawfully begun, or to a building permit or special permit issued
before the first publication of notice of the public hearing on this
chapter or any amendments thereto, but shall apply to any change or
substantial extension of such use, to a building permit or special
permit issued after the first notice or said public hearing, to any
reconstruction, extension or structural change of such structure and
to any alteration of a structure begun after the first notice of said
public hearing to provide for its use in a substantially different
purpose or for the same purpose in a substantially different manner
or to a substantially greater extent except where alteration, reconstruction,
extension or a structural change to a single or two family residential
structure does not increase the nonconforming nature of said structure.
B. Commencement of Construction or Operation. Construction or operations
under a building permit or special permit shall conform to any subsequent
amendments to this chapter, unless the use or construction is commenced
within a period of not more than six months after the issuance of
the permit and in any case involving construction, unless such construction
is continued through to completion as continuously and expeditiously
as is reasonable.
[Amended 11-12-2019 STM by Art. 13]
This chapter, including the Zoning Map which is part hereof,
may be amended at a regular or special Town Meeting in accordance
with Chapter 40A of the General Laws of Massachusetts. Petitions for
zoning amendments shall be made in accordance with MGL c. 40A, § 5,
and shall be submitted to the Select Board with a copy to the Planning
& Zoning Board and shall be accompanied by the following:
A. Text. For petitions concerning the text of this chapter, five copies
of the existing and proposed text shall be submitted.
B. Zoning Map. For petitions concerning the Zoning Map, one reproducible
and two copies thereof of a map with sufficient information describe
the area of the proposed change and other related information as may
be required at the discretion of the Easton Planning & Zoning
Board.
C. Initiation.
(1) Petitions for zoning amendments may be initiated by:
(c)
Individual owning land to be affected;
(f)
Old Colony Planning Council;
(2) The Board of shall submit the petition to the Planning & Zoning
Board within 14 days of receipt.
D. Public Hearing. The Planning & Zoning Board shall hold a public
hearing within 65 days after receipt.
The invalidity of any section or provision of this chapter shall
not invalidate any other section or provision herein.