The regulations for each district pertaining to minimum lot area, minimum lot width, minimum lot frontage, minimum lot depth, minimum front yard depth, minimum side yard width, minimum rear yard depth, maximum height of buildings, maximum number of stories and maximum building coverage of lot shall be specified in this article, Article II, Definitions, and set forth in the area, height and bulk regulations in Tables 6-1 and 6-2,[1] and subject to the further provisions of this article.
[1]
Editor's Note: Tables 6-1 and 6-2 are included as attachments to this chapter.
A. 
Required yard or open space. No part of a yard or other open space required about any building for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this ordinance shall be included as a part of a yard or other open space similarly required for another building.
B. 
Impervious surfaces. No impervious surface shall be permitted within five feet of a property line. This shall exclude access drives which intersect with the street right-of-way and sidewalks four feet in width or less. Access drives are subject to additional regulations outlined in § 300-9.0C.
[Added 5-16-2022[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This order also redesignated former Subsections B through I as Subsections C through J, respectively.
C. 
Reduction of lot areas. No lot shall be reduced in size or area so that any yard, court, open space, frontage, lot width or lot area will be less than what is prescribed by this ordinance for the district in which the lot is located, unless it is recombined with an abutting lot and a plan of the recombined lot is approved by the Planning Board and recorded in the Hampden County Registry of Deeds or the Land Court of Hampden County. This provision shall not apply in the case of a lot when a portion thereof is taken for a public purpose.
D. 
Height exceptions. The provisions of this ordinance governing the height of buildings shall not apply to chimneys, cooling towers, elevator bulkheads, skylights, ventilators and other necessary appurtenances usually carried above roofs, nor to domes, stacks, or spires if not used for human occupancy, nor to ornamental or observation towers, and like structures which occupy not more than 25% of the ground area of the building or of the lot area. The provisions of this ordinance shall not prevent the erection of a parapet wall or cornice for ornamental purposes extending above such height limit for not more than five feet.
E. 
Yard exceptions and projections. The following exceptions and projections shall be permitted:
(1) 
Unenclosed porches. An unenclosed, unroofed one-story porch, erected on piers, may project into any required front yard a distance not to exceed four feet, and into a required rear yard a distance not to exceed 10 feet.
[Amended 5-16-2022]
(2) 
Enclosed porches. Any two-story or enclosed porch, or a porch having a solid foundation and capable of being enclosed, shall be considered an integral part of the building in the determination of the size of required yards and lot coverage.
[Amended 5-16-2022]
(3) 
Existing porches. A porch existing prior to the effective date of this ordinance may be enclosed on one or more sides, provided said porch is not nearer than 10 feet to any street line, and provided that no such enclosure shall consist of material other than screen or glass to the extent of more than 25% thereof.
(4) 
Projecting architectural features. The space in any required yard shall be open and unobstructed except for the ordinary projections of window sills, belt course, cornices, eaves and other architectural features; provided, however, that such features shall not project more than two feet into any required yard.
(5) 
Bay windows. Bay windows, including their cornices and eaves, may project into any required yard not more than two feet; provided, however, that the sum of such projections on any wall shall not exceed 1/3 of the length of said wall.
(6) 
Fire escapes. Open or lattice-enclosed metal fire escapes may project not more than five feet into a rear yard.
(7) 
Terraces. A paved terrace shall not be considered in the determination of yard sizes or lot coverage; provided, however, that such terrace is unroofed and without walls, parapets or other forms of enclosure. Such terraces, however, may have an open guard railing not over three feet high, and shall not project into any yard to a point nearer than five feet to any lot line.
F. 
Accessory structures.
(1) 
Accessory structures shall not be located between the principal structure and the street line.
[Amended 5-16-2022]
(2) 
No more than 25% of a rear yard shall be occupied by accessory structures.
(3) 
Accessory structures located on a corner lot shall be set back from any street line a distance equal to or greater than that required of the principal structure.
(4) 
Except for structures used for agricultural purposes as defined by MGL c. 40A, § 3, the footprint of the accessory structure shall not be greater than that of the principal structure.
(5) 
Except for structures used for agricultural purposes as defined by MGL c. 40A, § 3, the height of an accessory structure shall not be greater than that of the principal structure.
(6) 
Accessory structures less than 200 square feet shall be located a minimum of five feet from the side and rear property lines and five feet from the principal structure. A building permit shall not be required for such structures.
[Added 5-16-2022[2]]
[2]
Editor's Note: This order also redesignated former Subsection F(6) through (9) as Subsection F(7) through (10), respectively.
(7) 
Accessory structures greater than 200 square feet and less than or equal to 400 square feet must be located a minimum of 10 feet from the side and rear property lines and five feet from the principal structure.
[Amended 5-16-2022]
(8) 
Structures greater than 400 square feet shall be a minimum distance of five feet from the principal structure and shall be set back from the side and rear property lines a minimum distance equal to the height of the accessory structure or 15 feet, whichever is greater.
[Amended 5-16-2022]
(9) 
No signs, as defined in this ordinance, shall be attached to an accessory structure.
(10) 
Accessory structures greater than 600 square feet in area and located in an RA, RA-1, RA-2 or RB Zoning District shall require the issuance of a special permit by the Planning Board.
G. 
Visibility at intersections. On a corner lot, no signs, fence, wall, tree, hedge or other vegetation, and no building or other structure more than 3 1/2 feet above the established street grades, shall be erected, placed or maintained within the area formed by the intersecting street lines and a straight line joining said street lines at points which are 25 feet distant from the point of intersection, measured along said street lines.
H. 
Front yards as affected by abutting existing buildings. No part of any building needs to set back from the street line of any street on which it faces more than the average of the setbacks of existing buildings on the lots adjacent thereto on either side thereof and facing on the same street and within the same zoning district. Where no such existing building exists, the front yard requirements of the zoning district in which such building is located shall be applicable.
I. 
Corner lots and side yards. No part of any building on a corner lot shall be nearer the side street line than 15 feet or the required side yard, whichever is greater.
J. 
Rear yards for through lots. The rear yard setback in the case of an interior lot running through a block from street to street shall be equal to the required depth for the front yard applicable thereto.
A. 
Motor vehicle parking areas shall not be permitted in any required front yard area. With the exception of access areas as defined in Note 2 of Table 13-1 of this ordinance,[1] such front yard areas shall be landscaped but may be provided with pedestrian facilities.
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 300-13.8.
B. 
With the exception of front yard areas, landscaping for all development, other than multifamily, shall meet or exceed the requirements of Table 13-1 herein.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See § 300-13.8.
C. 
With the exception of front yard areas, buffers for multifamily developments shall be provided in accordance with the appropriate requirements of Table 13-1.[3] Plantings shall also be provided in accordance with the requirements of Table 13-1.
[3]
Editor's Note: See § 300-13.8.
D. 
Design of required parking areas, landscaping and open space shall be prepared by a landscape architect licensed to practice in the commonwealth.
E. 
The distance between principal buildings on a single lot shall not be less than the height of the higher building.
F. 
Development within Business A-1 Districts shall be oriented to Park Street or Park Avenue. With the exception of Main Street, access to developments within Business A-1 Districts shall not be allowed over streets on which 50% or more of assessed parcels are devoted to residential uses.
Conversion of existing single- and two-family dwellings to other uses permitted within the Central Business District need not meet the lot area requirement of Table 6-1G,[1] provided:
A. 
Any such conversion retains the external appearance and facade of a single- or two-family dwelling; and
B. 
The design of such conversion is prepared by an architect or landscape architect licensed to practice in the commonwealth.
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 6-1G is included as an attachment to this chapter.