The regulations for each district pertaining to minimum lot area, minimum lot frontage, maximum front yard depth, minimum side yard width, minimum rear yard depth, and minimum residential net floor area shall be as specified in this article and set forth in the Table of Area Regulations and Table of Height and Bulk Regulations and subject to the further provisions of this article. In the Drinking Water Resource Protection Districts, the regulations as herein set forth for the underlying zoning district shall apply. A fence, wall or other enclosure, unless otherwise regulated, shall be regulated as provided in § 325-17 below.
See tables on accompanying pages, plus attached
notes, which are declared to be a part of this bylaw.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Tables 2 and 3 at the end
of this bylaw.
A fence, hedge, wall or other enclosure may
be maintained on any premises. In order to preserve and promote the
safety of the public, any fence, hedge or shrub or other growth or
enclosure wall on the corner lot or curb obstructing the view of motorists
and situated within 15 feet of a public street or curb or side line
thereof shall not be permitted by the owner or occupant of the premises
to exceed the height of three feet above road grade, and any and all
trees within said fifteen-foot area (shade trees to be subject to
the provisions of MGL c. 87, § 3) shall have limbs trimmed
to the height of six feet above road grade, provided that on a corner
lot no structure or vegetation shall be over three feet in height
within the sight triangle as hereafter defined. The sight triangle
is defined as the area within a triangle formed by two lines measured
along the center of the nearest lane of the traveled way of intersecting
streets from the point of intersection for a distance of 25 feet and
a third line connecting the points on the two legs. The height restrictions
shall designate the distance above each point in the plane of the
sight triangle.
A.
The required minimum width of any lot hereafter laid
out or created, measured along the front yard setback line, shall
not be less than 80% of the required minimum lot frontage. In order
to comply with the minimum square foot requirement, any lot hereafter
created for building purposes must be a closed plot of land having
a definite area and perimeter and having a shape number not exceeding
the numerical value of 22, except that a lot may have a shape number
larger than 22, provided that the site intended for building is contained
within a portion of said lot, which said portion meets the zoning
requirements of the area in which it is located and has a shape number
not exceeding 22. The lot shape number shall be obtained by dividing
the square of the lot perimeter (P), measured in feet, by the area
of the lot (A), measured in square feet (i.e., P2 ÷ A<22).
[Amended 5-7-2013 STM by Art. 13]
B.
In all districts where single-family dwellings are
permitted, no more than one such dwelling shall be allowed on a lot.
C.
Any structure located on a corner lot shall be set
back from all streets a distance equal to the front yard setback requirement
in the district.
D.
At each end of a through lot, there shall be a setback
depth required which is equal to the front yard depth required for
the district in which each street frontage is located.
E.
On a lot used for hotel or motel purposes, parking
lots, roads, streets, tennis courts, swimming pools and like amenities
and facilities shall not cover more than 15% of the area of the lot.
For the purpose of this subsection, golf courses, putting greens,
bowling greens and similar amenities which do not involve covering
the ground with any impervious material shall not be included for
the purpose of computing the total ground coverage of a project.
[Amended 9-26-2020 ATM by Art. 22]
F.
Projections into required yards or other required
open spaces are permitted, subject to the following:
(1)
Balcony or bay window, limited in total length to
1/2 the length of the building: not more than two feet.
(2)
Open terrace or steps, stoop or similar structure,
under four feet in height: up to 1/2 the required yard setback.
(3)
Window sill, chimney, roof eave, fire escape, fire
tower, storm enclosure or similar architectural structures or steps
or stoops over four feet in height: not more than two feet.
G.
In any district, any permitted accessory building,
use or structure shall conform to the applicable setback for the principal
structure or use, except that any accessory building less than 100
square feet in area and not exceeding 12 feet in height may be set
back five feet from side or rear lot lines. In all zoning districts,
a shelter for persons awaiting the arrival of public transportation
may be erected without observing the area of setback requirements
of this bylaw.
H.
No outside staircase shall be used to furnish primary
access to any of the units in a hotel or motel.
[Amended 9-26-2020 ATM by Art. 22[1]]
I.
Whenever a use is established on a parcel in the IL
District and such parcel or parcels abut or face a parcel which is
zoned or used for residential purposes, the use in the IL District
shall be effectively screened and buffered from the adjoining residential
parcel. Screening shall consist of either a contiguous solid fence
or wall not less than six feet nor more than eight feet in height
or a contiguous staggered row of densely planted evergreen shrubs
which, when planted, contains individual plantings which are no less
than five feet in height. In no case shall any plantings used for
compliance with this screening requirement be planted less than five
feet apart on center. Any screening required by this subsection shall
be installed at least 10 feet from any side or rear lot line and 15
feet from any street lot line, shall be maintained in good condition,
and may be interrupted only by driveway openings which meet a street.
Any plantings or fencing components installed for compliance with
this subsection which deteriorate to the point where they no longer
provide an effective screen shall be replaced.
J.
There shall be no site preparation work done in connection
with development of any use of land other than single-family or single-family
with accessory apartment use and no such work in connection with development
of any subdivision until all necessary permits and approvals have
been obtained. This subsection shall not prohibit site work reasonably
necessary to the conduct of a land survey or any tests required as
a condition precedent to the issuance of any permit or approval. If
after obtaining all necessary permits and approvals such work is commenced
and later abandoned, any areas of the site which have been disturbed
during construction shall be revegetated in a manner sufficient to
prevent erosion. To secure revegetation in the case of abandonment
of a project, the Building Official or, in the case of a subdivision
of land, the Planning Board may require the owner to post a bond or
other satisfactory security in an amount reasonably estimated as sufficient
to perform the work.
K.
A lot with the required legal frontage must take access
along the required legal frontage. No alternate access may be granted
from other streets, roads, or ways, nor should access be taken from
an easement across an adjacent property without the issuance of a
special permit from the Planning Board. In issuing a special permit,
the Planning Board shall make the following findings:
(1)
The alternate access proposed is superior to the access
along the frontage;
(2)
The proposed alternate access is cleared to a minimum
of 16 feet in width and 16 feet in height; and
(3)
When access is proposed from an easement across another
lot, the lot providing the easement will have the required legal frontage
for the zoning district.
L.
Panhandle
lots may be approved by the Planning Board under the Subdivision Control
Law, provided that the following conditions are met:
[Added 5-7-2013 STM by Art. 13]
(1)
Lot
frontage and lot width within the panhandle portion shall be a minimum
of 35 feet.
(2)
The
length of the panhandle portion of a lot shall be a maximum of 300
feet.
(3)
Suitable
access by a driveway to such lot is provided within the panhandle
and, in the opinion of the Board, the access is wide enough and otherwise
satisfactory for a driveway.
(5)
No
panhandle portion of any lot may be contiguous to another panhandle
portion of a lot at the street line.
M.
Retaining wall(s) for septic systems. The provisions of § 325-17 notwithstanding, on an improved parcel, a retaining wall(s) associated with the installation of a septic system (e.g., mounded septic system) required by the Board of Health and/or Title 5, shall be setback no less than 10 feet to any lot line.
[Added 5-6-2019 ATM by
Art. 25]
A.
In reference to Table 3, any maximum height permitted
in this bylaw shall not apply to:
(1)
Municipal use and essential service structures, provided
that the side and rear yards or setbacks required in the district
for the highest permitted principal structure shall be increased two
feet in width for each foot by which the height or such structures
exceeds the height permitted in the district.
(2)
Special industrial structures, such as a cooling tower
and other similar structures where the industrial process requires
a greater height.
(3)
Any personal wireless service facility, provided that
no structure erected in connection with such use exceeds 45 feet in
height above ground level in all districts and further provided that
in a PWS District no structure erected in connection with such use
exceeds 150 feet above ground level.
[Amended 9-26-2020 ATM by Art. 22]
In reference to Table 3, maximum permitted
height (stories), in no case may any building used for hotel or motel
use exceed 50 feet in height nor contain more than four levels for
human occupation. In no case shall a single-family residence contain
more than two levels for human occupation, provided that the basement
or cellar of a single-family residence can be used as a family room
or recreational room but shall not be used as sleeping quarters unless
it is made to comply with the provisions of the Building Code regulating
the design and construction of such rooms. In no case shall any other
building provide more than two stories or levels for human use or
occupation.
Table 2 is included at the end of this bylaw.
Table 3 is included at the end of this bylaw.