For the purpose of this bylaw certain terms and words shall have the meaning given herein. Words used in the present tense include the future; the singular number includes the plural, and the plural includes the singular; the word "building," "structure," "lot," "land" or "premises" shall be construed as though followed by the words "or any portion thereof"; and the word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory. The word "person" includes a firm, association, organization, partnership, trust, or company as well as an individual. The word "used" or "occupied" includes the words "intended or designed or arranged to be used." The word "lot" includes the word "plot" or "parcel."
ACCESS
The point from which one enters a property.
ACCESSORY APARTMENT
See "dwelling, single-family, with accessory apartment."
ACCESSORY BUILDING
A detached building the use of which is customarily incidental and subordinate to that of the principal building and which is located on the same lot as that occupied by the principal building.
ACCESSORY BUILDING, RESIDENTIAL
A detached structure located on the same lot with the principal residential structure to which it is accessory and not used for seasonal or year-round living. Such structures include, but are not limited to, toolshed, boathouse, playhouse, shelter for domestic pets, private swimming pool and one private garage for not more than three automobiles. See § 325-13, Table of Use Regulations, for more information.
[Amended 5-4-2010 STM by Art. 8; 5-6-2014 STM by Art. 1]
ACCESSORY USE
A use incidental and subordinate to the principal use of a structure or lot.
ADDITION/EXTENSION
Any construction, reconstruction, or other action resulting in a change in the structural parts or height, number of stories, size, use or location of a structure.
ADULT ENTERTAINMENT
Refer to Article XIII.
AGRICULTURE USE
The commercial raising of agricultural crops and/or livestock and horticultural and floricultural products on the same lot or abutting lots in the same ownership. Necessary structures and storage of equipment used on the premises are included.
ALTERATIONS
Changes in the interior or exterior of a building but without changing the exterior dimensions.
ANIMAL HOSPITAL
A place where animals or pets are given medical or surgical treatment by or under the supervision of a veterinarian and boarding is short-term care incidental to hospital use and care.
ANIMAL KENNEL, COMMERCIAL
A commercial establishment for the raising, boarding, breeding and/or training of small domestic animals (dogs, cats, etc.).
ANIMAL KENNEL, RESIDENTIAL
The keeping of more than four small domestic animals as pets and not for commercial purposes.
AQUACULTURE USE
The science, art, and business of cultivating marine or freshwater food fish or shellfish, such as oysters, clams, salmon, and trout, under controlled conditions.
ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY
A residential facility for the elderly or disabled that provides rooms or individual apartments, meals, personal care, and supervision of self-administered medication. It may also have communal dining facilities and services such as housekeeping, organized social and recreational activities, transportation service, and other support services appropriate for the residents.
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE AND REPAIR FACILITY
Any premises upon which the business of maintenance, serving, repair, or painting of vehicles is conducted or rendered, without the dispensing or sale of vehicular fuels.
BED-AND-BREAKFAST
A residence where an owner/occupant in his home provides lodging and a morning meal to no more than five transients for compensation. A bed-and-breakfast shall not be considered a home occupation.
BEDROOM
Any room used or intended to be used for sleeping purposes or as determined by state and/or Harwich Board of Health Regulations.
[Amended 9-26-2020 ATM by Art. 22]
BOARD
Where appropriate to the context, the term "Board" shall include the Board of Appeals or Planning Board of the Town of Harwich.
BOAT STORAGE
The commercial storage of boats and watercraft. This excludes repair and maintenance, sales and service. See "marine use."
BUILDING
A combination of any materials, whether portable or fixed, having a roof or similar covering, to form a structure for the shelter of persons, animals or property.
BUILDING/STRUCTURE HEIGHT
A. 
The height of a building or structure shall be calculated by averaging the distance between the lowest pre-existing grade point at the base of the building/structure and the top of said structure, and the distance between the highest pre-existing grade point at the base of the structure and the top of said structure. A structure shall include such elements as a rooftop deck, fence, railing, widow's walk, or other rooftop structure, parapet, or other attached structure. A cupola not larger than four feet in width and chimneys shall be exempt from the above requirements if they do not extend more than four feet in height above the roof. For developed lots, pre-existing grade shall be determined by calculating the average of existing high and low grade points at the base of the existing/original building or structure and top of said structure, where the highest point is at a minimum of eight inches below the top of foundation.
[Amended 5-4-2010 STM by Art. 9; 5-2-2016 ATM by Art. 46]
B. 
For a building or structure located within an area of special flood hazard, refer to § 325-108.
[Amended 5-6-2019 ATM by Art. 26]
CHURCH OR OTHER RELIGIOUS USE
Any structure or use entitled to the religious exemption set forth in MGL c. 40A, § 3.
CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT
Open space residential development as defined herein.
COMMON OPEN SPACE
Open space created within an open space residential development which is designated to be held and maintained by a homeowners' association, conveyed to the Town, or conveyed to a private land conservation organization. "Common open space" shall not include open space which may be established on individual building lots.
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
A premises, other than a construction site on which a building permit is issued, which is used by a building contractor or any other tradesman or landscaper for the fabrication of subassemblies or the storage of supplies or equipment.
DEMOLITION
The act or process of wrecking, destroying or removing, temporarily or permanently, 50% or more of an existing structure. Demolition of a structure requires a demolition permit from the Building Department. Should the Building Official approve less than 50% of a structure for removal, and should the remainder of the structure, following an inspection by the Building Official, be found to not be structurally sound, the Building Official may authorize the removal of the remainder of the structure without issuance of a demolition permit. In no case, however, should the rebuilt portion be built outside the footprint of the remainder of the structure.
DORMITORY
A building or space in a building where group sleeping accommodations are provided for persons not members of the same family group in one room or in a series of closely associated rooms under joint occupancy and single management, as in college dormitories, fraternity houses, military barracks and ski lodges, with or without meals, but without individual cooking facilities.
DRIVE-UP OR DRIVE-THROUGH WINDOW
Any use which provides goods or services to customers at exterior stations, fixed or transient, roofed or unroofed, that are accessible by motorized vehicles. This definition shall not apply to food sales, which are defined separately.
DWELLING, MULTIFAMILY
A detached building containing three or more dwelling units, including an apartment house, garden apartment house, townhouse or row house.
DWELLING, SINGLE-FAMILY
A single, separate dwelling unit designed for occupancy by one family only.
DWELLING, SINGLE-FAMILY WITH ACCESSORY APARTMENT
A single-family dwelling containing a principal dwelling unit and a separate accessory apartment, either attached or detached. The apartment shall contain a kitchen and bathroom which are separate from and not used in common with the principal dwelling unit.
[Amended 5-4-2010 STM by Art. 8; 5-7-2013 STM by Art. 12]
DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY
A building containing two dwelling units, whether side by side, over each other or in any other combination, provided that there is a common roof or a series of roofs connecting the dwelling units.
DWELLING UNIT
A building or portion thereof consisting of one or more rooms containing cooking and sanitary facilities and designed for human habitation by one family independent of other facilities.
EDUCATIONAL USE, FOR-PROFIT
Any building or part thereof which is designed, constructed or used for education or instruction in any branch of knowledge.
EDUCATIONAL USE, NONPROFIT
Any structure or use entitled to the education exemption set forth in MGL c. 40A, § 3.[1]
FAMILY
One or more persons living as a single, nonprofit housekeeping unit.
FILLING STATION
Any building, land area, or other premises, or portion thereof, used for the retail dispensing or sales of vehicular fuels and oil.
FISH PROCESSING FACILITIES
Establishments engaged in the business of cleaning, cutting, cooking, shucking, block freezing or packing sea foods for sale primarily at wholesale, but not excluding retail, but not including packing of fish in connection with off-loading of fishing vessels.
FLOOR AREA, NET
The sum of the areas of the several floors of a building, measured from the exterior faces of the walls, but not including cellars, unenclosed porches, attics not used for human occupancy, or any floor space in accessory buildings or in the principal building designed for the parking of motor vehicles in order to meet the parking requirements of this bylaw.
FOOD SALES WITH DRIVE-UP OR DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITIES
Any use which provides food products to customers at exterior stations, fixed or transient, roofed or unroofed, that are accessible by motorized vehicles. This term shall not include food service establishments where customers park their vehicles in designated parking spaces and access exterior food service tables, stations, windows, or counters without their vehicles.
FRONTAGE
The boundary of a lot coinciding with a road, street or way as defined in this bylaw.[2]
HOME OCCUPATION
A business, trade or profession, exclusive of real estate offices, firms or establishments, conducted in the proprietor's legal residence or within an accessory building.
HOSPICE
A facility designed to provide a caring environment for supplying the physical and emotional needs of the terminally ill.
HOSPITAL
A building providing inpatient services used for diagnosis, treatment or other care of human ailments, including a sanitarium, sanatorium, rest home, nursing home and convalescent home. Not to be interpreted to include a doctor's office (see "medical clinic").
HOTEL
A building or complex of buildings containing 13 or more units providing transient lodging, food and other related services within which access to the individual units is provided by common interior corridors. The individual units do not have cooking facilities.
HOTEL OR MOTEL, INCIDENTAL USES TO
Uses, including but not limited to stores selling dry goods, apparel and accessories, gifts, notions, photo supplies, and personal and health care supplies, personal services, travel agency, car rental office, tennis courts, swimming pools, restaurant, private pool or beach club, which are incidental to a hotel or motel use.
INN
A building or complex of buildings containing at least five but no more than 12 units providing transient lodging accommodations, and may include food service. Rooms are primarily accessed from within a central structure. The individual units do not have cooking facilities.
INSTITUTIONAL USE, OTHER
A public service use operated by a nonprofit corporation or organization which is not entitled to exemption from zoning requirements as set forth in MGL c. 40A, § 3.
LODGING HOUSE
A building in which five to 10 units, with or without cooking facilities, are let for compensation on a long-term transient basis, but not including a hotel, inn or motel.
LOT
A parcel of land described in a deed or shown on a plan of land. For the purpose of this bylaw, any lot hereafter laid out to be buildable must contain contiguous upland area totaling at least 100% of the minimum lot area requirement for the zoning district in which the land is situated as established by this bylaw. The term "upland" shall mean any land area not subject to the provisions of the Wetlands Protection Act, MGL c. 131, § 40, as amended.
LOT, CORNER
A lot at the intersection of two or more intersecting roads, streets or ways, or abutting a curve in a road, street or way, provided that the angle of the intersection is less than 135° or, in the case of a lot abutting a curve in the road, street, or way, the radius of said curve is less than 150 feet.
LOT DEPTH
The mean horizontal distance between the front lot line and the rear lot line.
LOT, PANHANDLE
A lot approved by the Planning Board under the Subdivision Control Law that is designed to provide adequate access even though the lot has less than the required frontage on a public or private way. Standards for panhandle lots are provided in § 325-18Q.
[Added 5-7-2013 STM by Art. 13]
MANUFACTURING
A use involving the processing, assembling, or packaging of previously prepared or refined materials.
MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENTS
Marijuana cultivators, independent testing laboratory, marijuana product manufacturers, marijuana retailers or any other types of licensed marijuana-related businesses, as defined in M.G.L. c. 94G, § 1.
[Added 5-7-2018 ATM by Art. 34]
MARINE USE
A commercial or industrial activity serving or deriving its nature from watercraft, including but not limited to boat repair or maintenance, sales and service of watercraft, motors, electronics, and other goods or services associated exclusively with watercraft. This may include dispensing of marine fuels. See "boat storage."
MEDICAL CLINIC
A facility for providing medical treatment on an outpatient basis.
MEMBERSHIP CLUB
A building used to house a nonprofit social, sports or fraternal association or organization, not connected or associated with any business, which is used exclusively by members and their guests and usually contains bar facilities.
MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
See § 325-51M.
MOTEL
A building or complex of buildings providing transient lodging accommodations with separate outside entrances for each unit. The individual units do not have cooking facilities.
MUNICIPAL USE
A use, whether in a structure and/or on a parcel of land, owned and/or operated by the Town of Harwich.
NONSANITARY WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY
A. 
Any wastewater treatment or disposal works subject to 314 CMR 5.00 for wastewater other than sanitary sewage, except the following:
(1) 
The replacement or repair of an existing system(s) that will not result in a design capacity greater than the design capacity of the existing system(s).
(2) 
Treatment works approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Harwich Board of Health designed for the treatment of contaminated groundwater or surface water.
(3) 
Publicly owned treatment works.
B. 
Note: Readers are encouraged to contact the Harwich Water or Health Department for the most current version of the above Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR) section as such regulations are subject to frequent amendment.
NURSING HOME
A privately or publicly operated establishment providing maintenance and personal or nursing care for persons (as the aged or the ill) who are unable to care for themselves.
OPEN SPACE
The area within an open space residential (or cluster) development which shall not be developed for any purpose other than recreational or agricultural use pursuant to other requirements of this bylaw, provided that the natural or installed vegetation may be maintained through mowing, trimming, and removal of dead or diseased specimens. Open space may be designated on portions of building lots within an open space residential development to achieve some of the design objectives of this bylaw but shall be distinct from common open space.
OPEN SPACE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
An optional form of development of single-family dwelling subdivisions that permits lots with lesser area and frontage than conventional development, provided that there is no increase in the number of lots that would be permitted under a conventional development, as provided in § 325-51E(2), and the balance of the land not included in single-family building lots is set aside as permanent open space. Open space residential development is synonymous with the concept of cluster development set forth in MGL c. 40A, § 9. Open space residential development shall require both a special permit and definitive subdivision approval from the Planning Board.
OUTSIDE DISPLAY FOR RETAIL SALES
The outdoor display of goods sold on the premises for retail sale, provided that the goods are not located within required setbacks for the zoning district or in the public right-of-way.
OUTSIDE STORAGE
The open storage of construction, manufacturing, service wholesale equipment, materials, junk or heavy motorized equipment of any type or open storage of unregistered motor vehicles, automobiles or other vehicles.
OVERLAY DISTRICT
A specifically delineated area that overlays an existing zoning district and provides for specific regulations and requirements. Overlay districts in Harwich include:
A. 
Drinking Water Resource Protection District. See § 325-51C.
[Amended 5-8-2012 STM by Art. 5]
B. 
Elderly Affordable Housing. See Article XII.
C. 
Harwich Center Overlay District. See § 325-51O.
D. 
Personal Wireless Service Overlay District. See Article XI.
E. 
Six Ponds Special District. See Article XVI.
F. 
Village Commercial Overlay District. See § 325-51L.
G. 
West Harwich Special District, see Article XXIV.
[Added 9-26-2020 ATM by Art. 23]
PARKING LOT/GARAGE, COMMERCIAL
A structure or designated area used for the parking and storage of motor vehicles that is operated as a business and open to the public for a fee.
PARKING SPACE
An off-street space, whether inside or outside a structure, for exclusive use as a parking stall for one motor vehicle.
PERMIT GRANTING AUTHORITY
The Board of Appeals established hereunder shall be the permit granting authority.
PERSONAL SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT
An establishment primarily engaged in providing services involving the care of a person or his or her apparel. These uses include, but are not limited to, beauty shops, barbershops, shoe repair, etc.
PERSONAL WIRELESS SERVICE FACILITY
Facility for the provision of personal wireless services, including antennas, telecommunication equipment, communications towers, monopoles and/or other support structures, including existing and proposed structures having personal wireless services devices attached thereto as accessory uses, installed and operated for the purpose of providing personal wireless services. Note: Please refer to Article XI, Personal Wireless Service Facilities, of this bylaw for additional definitions that are specific to personal wireless service facilities.
PROFESSIONAL OR BUSINESS OFFICE
An office or place of business where professional or business services are offered and do not involve the sale of goods or the keeping of a stock-in-trade.
RECREATION AND AMUSEMENT SERVICES
Establishments engaged in providing amusement, entertainment, sports or leisure time activities or facilities for a fee or admission charge.
REPAIR SERVICE, MISCELLANEOUS
Any premises upon which the business of maintenance, serving, repair, or painting of equipment or goods, other than motorized vehicles, is conducted or rendered.
RESTAURANT, FAST-FOOD/TAKEOUT
An establishment offering prepared food service in paper, plastic or other containers which can be removed from the premises, whether or not seating is available to patrons. This definition does not apply if such food is offered as wholly incidental to a conventional restaurant operation or retail food service. All such uses that preexist this bylaw will be required to file for a special use permit and a site plan special permit or waiver within 12 months of the effective date of this bylaw.
RESTAURANT or LOUNGE
An establishment where food and drink are prepared, served and consumed primarily on the premises.
RETAIL SALES
The selling of goods or merchandise to the general public and providing services incidental to the sale of such goods.
ROAD, STREET or WAY
A. 
For the purpose of subdivision control, a road, street or way is defined as follows:
(1) 
A public way or a way which the Clerk of the Town certifies is maintained and used as a public way;
(2) 
A way shown on a plan heretofore approved and endorsed in accordance with the Subdivision Control Law;[3] or
(3) 
A way in existence when the Subdivision Control Law became effective in the Town (June 6, 1951) having, in the opinion of the Planning Board, sufficient width, suitable grades and adequate construction to provide for the needs of vehicular traffic in relation to the proposed use of the land abutting thereon or served thereby and for the installation of municipal services thereon.
B. 
For the purposes of determining any building or other setback requirements of this bylaw, "road," "street" or "way" is defined as follows:
(1) 
As described (defined) in Subsection A above.
(2) 
Any alley, right-of-way, lane, court, square, place or like area of passage which is a matter of public record.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
An activity or accessory activities that are necessary in connection with scientific research or scientific development or related production.
SEASONAL USE
A temporary use or occupancy on an intermittent or short-term basis, primarily during the summer months and/or weekends, the total time of which use shall constitute less than six months during any one calendar year.
SELF-STORAGE FACILITY
A building or buildings made up of smaller individual storage units for the keeping of goods and property for lease or rent and does not include outside storage on the premises.
SHAPE NUMBER
The numerical value resulting from division of the square of the perimeter of a lot by the area in square feet thereof.
[Added 5-7-2013 STM by Art. 13]
SHARED HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY
A dwelling unit which contains not more than six bedrooms and not more than six occupants who shall and must be 65 years of age or older and may have separate sanitary facilities but share common living space and kitchen facilities.
SIGN
Refer to Article VII.
SIGN, SURFACE AREA OF
Refer to Section VII.
SITE COVERAGE
The aggregate coverage of an individual site by buildings, parking areas and driveways (regardless of surface material), pools, decks and other permanent structures and all impervious surfaces. For the purpose of this definition, the site shall be considered the portion of the subject parcel which lies within the zoning district wherein the proposed use is allowed.
SPECIAL PERMIT GRANTING AUTHORITY
The Board of Appeals established hereunder shall be the special permit granting authority for any application requiring such permit to change, alter, or extend a nonconforming structure or use, or for certification of continuance of existing dwellings. The Planning Board established pursuant to MGL c. 41, § 81A shall be the special permit granting authority for all other applications requiring a special permit.
[Amended 5-3-2011 STM by Art. 24]
STABLE OR RIDING RING, COMMERCIAL
The commercial housing of four or more horses by means of rental of stalls and/or stables and/or the use of property for the purposes of horseback riding lessons, horse training and similar uses. It does not include the breeding of horses, which is considered an agricultural use.
STORAGE TRAILER/CONTAINER
A structure standing, which may be on wheels, that is towed or hauled by another vehicle and used for the storage of goods and/or equipment.
STRUCTURE
A combination of materials assembled at a fixed location to give support or shelter, such as a building, bridge, trestle, tower, framework, retaining wall, tank, tunnel, tent, stadium, pool, reviewing stand, platform, bin or the like.
TOXIC OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Include residual oil, hydrocarbon products, including but not limited to gasoline, fuel and diesel oil, and any other substances classified or controlled as toxic, caustic, corrosive, radioactive or infectious pursuant to the provisions of MGL c. 21C.
TRAILER
Any vehicle which was originally or is still immediately portable or mobile and is arranged, intended, designed, or used for sleeping, eating, or business, or is a place in which persons may congregate, including a mobile home, house trailer, or camper. Such vehicle which is no longer immediately portable by virtue of having its wheels removed or skirts attached still shall be considered a trailer for the purpose of this bylaw.
UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACE
A parking space 21 feet in length and 11 feet wide, with an adjacent access aisle five feet in width, which is dedicated to parking for appropriately identified vehicles owned or operated by disabled people and so indicated by appropriate signage and pavement markings.
USE, PRINCIPAL
The main or primary purpose for which a structure or lot is designed, arranged or intended or for which it may be used, occupied or maintained under this bylaw.
WAREHOUSING
The storage of goods and materials by the owner of the goods or operated for a specific commercial establishment or group of establishments in a particular industrial or economic field, which shall not include the bulk storage of nuclear or radioactive products and/or toxic waste chemicals. Such use may include the transportation of such goods or materials by motor freight.
WHOLESALE TRADE
A business or establishment primarily engaged in selling merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or professional business users, or to other wholesalers, or buying merchandise for, or selling merchandise to, such individuals or companies.
YARD, FRONT
Any yard abutting a road, street or way.
YARD, REAR
The yard abutting adjoining property opposite or approximately opposite the front yard or yards.
YARDS
Those portions of a lot abutting adjoining lots, roads, streets or ways which may not be built or encroached upon except as hereinafter provided.
YARD SALE
A means of disposing of used personal property by a householder or several householders who originally acquired the property for personal household use and not for the purpose of sale or resale at a profit.
YARD, SIDE
A yard other than a front or rear yard.
YEAR ROUND
For permanent use or occupancy, the total time of which shall constitute more than six months during any one calendar year.
[1]
Editor's Note: The former definition of "essential services," which immediately followed, was repealed 9-26-2020 ATM by Art. 24.
[2]
Editor’s Note: The former definition of “guesthouse,” which immediately followed this definition, was repealed 5-2-2016 ATM by Art. 47.
[3]
Editor's Note: See MGL c. 41, §§ 81K to 81GG.