A.
All developments must fully conform to the requirements
of the North Reading Zoning Bylaw[1] in effect at the time of the application submittal. If
this is not the case, the applicant must receive appropriate relief
from the North Reading Zoning Board of Appeals prior to submitting
an application to the Community Planning Commission. The Community
Planning Commission shall not approve, in any way, any nonconforming
use which has not received the appropriate relief.
B.
All new developments or expansions of existing developments
of a commercial, industrial or mixed-use nature must receive site
plan approval from the Community Planning Commission prior to the
issuance of a building permit for such activity. Likewise, prior to
the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, as-built drawings must
be submitted and all conditions of the site plan approval must be
met.
C.
Prior to the Community Planning Commission granting
approval of a site plan, all other Town of North Reading regulatory
boards or commissions must have either approved the areas of the plan
under their jurisdiction or notified the Community Planning Commission
within 30 days of receipt that the plan need not appear before them.
For the purposes of this regulation the following boards and commissions
shall receive copies of proposed plans: Conservation Commission, Board
of Health and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Additionally, the following
town departments shall receive copies of proposed plans and respond
with requirements or suggestions within 30 days of receipt: Planning,
Public Works/Engineering, Fire, Police, School and Building Inspector.
The Community Planning Commission will not grant final approval of
a site plan that has not completed the above requirements.
D.
All developments must connect to Town of North Reading
municipal water and sewer systems if available within 1,000 feet.
A.
For the purposes of these regulations, uses shall
be defined as follows:
(1)
Commercial: retailing and services supplying daily
needs of the community, entertainment facilities, professional and
general offices, restaurants or any use which is similar and not more
detrimental than those listed as determined by the Planning Administrator.
(2)
Industrial: research facilities, assembling and manufacturing,
warehousing, wholesaling, trucking, storage or any use which is similar
as determined by the Planning Administrator.
(3)
Mixed use. A combination of two or more of the above
uses, or one or more of the above uses in combination with residential
units.
B.
The Planning Administrator/Building Inspector may
reference the Standard Industrial Classification Manual when making
a determination regarding land use for the purposes of these regulations.
A.
Separation of buildings. In the event that a lot is to be occupied by a group of two or more related buildings, the minimum open space or court between all such buildings shall be in accordance with § 200-65A of the Zoning Bylaw. [NOTE: Projections (i.e., balconies, overhangs or other similar architectural features) into the minimum open space or courtyard shall be limited to two feet from the building wall.]
[Amended 9-5-2000]
B.
Accessory buildings. Accessory buildings shall conform
to all regulations of the district wherein they exist and shall conform
to the following:
(1)
All detached accessory buildings shall be placed in
the rear half of the lot.
(2)
On a through lot the accessory building(s) shall not
be located closer to the rear property line than the distance required
for front yard setback.
(3)
On a corner lot the accessory buildings shall not
be located closer to the street side property line than that required
for the main building.
(4)
No accessory buildings shall occupy more than 25%
of the area lying between the rear of the main building and the rear
property line.
C.
Building design.
(1)
No part of any ordinary projections of window sills,
belt courses, cornices, chimneys, eaves and other architectural features
shall be closer than 10 feet to any property line of the lot upon
which such structure is erected.
(2)
Any and all mechanical equipment ancillary to the
use or function of a building and/or structure, including, but not
limited to, heating/cooling equipment, electrical equipment, pool
pumps and filter, satellite dishes and antennas, solar heating/cooling
devices, shall be restricted from use in the front and street side
yards.
(3)
All uses regulated by these terms are restricted to
closed buildings, except for pass-through windows where specifically
permitted.
(4)
Design of the primary building(s) and the site shall
be compatible with the type of development in or anticipated in the
nearby areas. The anticipated development of an area is shown on the
future land use map in the Master Plan.
(5)
Overhead bay doors shall not front on or be visible
from any public street.
(6)
All building elevations, floor plans or other displays
designed to display the architectural features must bear the stamp
of a registered licensed professional architect.
(7)
Roof-mounted mechanical equipment shall be screened
by parapet walls or other screening devices to be no lower in height
than six inches below the height of the mechanical equipment on side,
front, or rear walls, whichever are adjacent to public streets or
residential districts.
D.
Site design.
(1)
A site plan submittal must contain the following:
(a)
Stamp of a registered licensed professional
surveyor;
(b)
All perimeter boundaries and controls;
(c)
Bearings and distances;
(d)
North arrow;
(e)
Locus map;
(f)
Date, scale, legend and title;
(g)
Signature block;
(h)
All existing and proposed buildings, their dimensions
and distances from lot lines, as well as each other;
(i)
All existing and proposed streets, ways, easements
or any other public area;
(j)
Locations and widths of all streets and driveways
within 200 feet of the subject parcel;
(k)
Topography (existing and proposed) with two-foot
contours;
(l)
Complete profiles of all streets and parking
areas;
(m)
Landscaping, drainage and exterior lighting
plans;
(n)
Drainage calculations; zero rate of runoff as in Subdivision Rules and Regulations § 350-13B(2)(o);
(o)
All filing fees;
(p)
Zoning district boundaries;
(q)
Floodplain and wetlands boundaries.
(2)
Outdoor storage of materials and supplies and outdoor
displays shall be fully screened from view by a wall or fence a minimum
of six feet in height with a fastenable gate which must be closed
during nonworking hours.
(3)
All trash receptacles (i.e., dumpsters, compactors,
etc.) must be placed on a concrete pad and fully screened from view
by a wall or fence a minimum of six feet in height and which has a
fastenable gate at its front. The location of all trash receptacles
must be approved by the Department of Public Works, the Fire Department,
the Board of Health and the Building Inspector.
(4)
All parking lots, driveway, road, drainage and utility
calculations and/or specifications must be stamped by a registered
licensed professional engineer and approved by the North Reading Town
Engineer.
(5)
All areas designated as parking areas shall be paved.
Material composition and profiles must be approved by the North Reading
Town Engineer.
(6)
Vehicles and other obstructions may not be parked
on any corner lot within the triangular area formed by the curb lines
and a line connecting them at points 30 feet from the intersection
of the street lines.
(7)
Landscaping requirements:
(a)
Landscaping may include trees, shrubs, ground
cover, vines, walkways, ponds, fountains, sculpture and other organic
and inorganic materials used for creating an attractive appearance.
(b)
Standards of design and development
[1]
Each parcel to be developed shall be required
to provide landscaped areas, on site, equal to the following minimum
amounts:
[a]
Ten percent of the total footprint of buildings
located on the property, in all industrial districts.
[b]
Ten percent of the net site area of the property,
in all other districts.
[c]
Landscaping in street rights-of-way shall be
required in addition to the minimum on-site requirements in Subsection
D(7)(b)[1][a] and [b] above.
[2]
Landscaping shall be established along the street
frontages in the area lying between the public sidewalk and any buildings,
parking areas, loading areas, or actual storage areas on the property
except for necessary driveways.
[3]
Provision shall be made for water service to
all landscaped areas requiring water.
(c)
Street trees shall be required along all arterial
streets.
[1]
Street trees shall be a minimum of 12 feet in
height and be two inches in caliper measured at four feet above the
ground.
[2]
Street trees shall be planted in the amount
of one tree for every 30 feet of lineal arterial street frontage.
[3]
Trees (maple, cedar, oak or other approved screening
trees) 15 feet on center shall be planted along any property lines
of parcels developed for commercial, industrial or mixed uses which
are adjacent to or separated only by an alley or road from a residential
development or district.
(d)
Required front and street side yards shall be
entirely landscaped, except for necessary driveways.
(e)
No landscaping materials greater than two feet
in height may be installed on any corner lot within the triangular
area formed by the curblines and a line connecting them at points
30 feet from the intersection of the street lines.
(f)
Maintenance.
(g)
Parking areas shall be screened from street
view to a minimum height of three feet above the highest finished
grade of the parking area.
[1]
Lots shall be screened by the use of walls,
berms, landscaping, fences or any combination of the four. Such screening
may be supplemented by up to 25% intermittent landscaping. All loading,
delivery and service bays shall be screened from street view by a
wood, brick, slump block or masonry fence or wall.
(h)
Walls and screening devices.
[1]
Definitions.
[a]
"Walls or fences" are any structure intended
for the use of confinement, prevention of intrusion, boundary identification
or screening of an activity.
[b]
"Screening devices" are any structures installed
to conceal areas used for refuse, mechanical equipment, parking, service/loading
bays or lanes, multifamily habitation, and commercial or industrial
activities, from adjacent residential districts and from street views.
[c]
Height of screening devices shall be measured
from the highest finished adjacent grade of the element to be screened.
[d]
Height of walls and fences in all districts
shall be measured from the lowest of the two grades adjacent to the
wall or fence; except when the wall or fence is adjacent to an alley
or street right-of-way which has a higher grade than that on the adjacent
site. For such situations, the height of the fence or wall shall be
measured from the top of the curb or top of crown of road or alley
where no curb exists.
[e]
All outdoor lighting shall be directed down
and screened away from adjacent properties and streets.
