Town of Wrentham, MA Village Zone (VZ)

Village A Subdistrict characteristics: the historic downtown commercial area of Wrentham and the surrounding residential areas. Generally 2.5- to three-story buildings from the 19th and early 20th centuries; pedestrian-scale retail frontages; sidewalks connecting businesses, homes, Town Hall and places of worship. The zoning is intended to encourage preservation of existing buildings and uses.

Village B Subdistrict characteristics: This is 50 vacant acres of land, primarily the former Crosby Valve/Tyco/FMC site, currently owned by separate entities, located adjacent to the downtown. The legacy opportunity is to continue the downtown street grid to expand Wrentham's historic downtown by providing additional retail and housing, as well as mixed-use development opportunities.

§ 390-21.3 Uses; dimensional and parking requirements.

Buildings and structures in the VZ District shall be erected or used and premises shall be used only as set forth in the Use Regulation Table below, which is numbered to correspond to the main Table of Uses at § 390-4.2 of this bylaw.[1] Any use included in § 390-4.2 not listed below is not allowed in the VZ District except as exempted by § 390-3.4 or by statute. Footnotes to uses included in § 390-4.2 shall apply to the table below except where a contrary intent is clearly expressed.

[Amended 11-21-2022 STM by Art. 9]

A.	Residential Uses	Village Zone A	Village Zone B
1.	Single detached dwelling	N	N
2.	Double attached dwelling	N	Y
3.	Multiple attached dwelling	N	Y
4.	Conversion of a single detached dwelling to double attached dwelling, pursuant to § 390-13.4	Y	N
5.	Senior living community, pursuant to § 390-13.5	N	N
6.	Mixed use	Y	Y
7.	Community congregate housing	N	Y

C.	Commercial Uses	Village Zone A	Village Zone B
1.	A single retail store on a lot	Y	Y
2.	Service establishment	Y	Y
3.	Shopping center or complex of offices, businesses, or retail establishments	N	Y
4.	Planned business development	N	N
5.	Complex of offices or other nonretail businesses	SPA/SP (PB)	Y
6.	Single or "anchor" retail operations of at least 10,000 square feet selling to the general public and/or qualified public, such as so called "warehouse" or "membership" outlets. In addition, retail outlets of at least 5,000 square feet may be sited to be complementary to one or more "anchor" stores, provided total square footage of such complementary stores does not exceed 50% of the total retail complex.	N	N
7.	Bank	Y	Y
8.	Restaurant	Y	Y
9.	Restaurant, fast-food	N	N
10.	Restaurant, take-out	Y	Y
11.	Hotel or motel	N	SP
12.	Campground	N	N
13.	Social service agency	SPA/SP	Y
14.	Child-care facility, day-care center, adult day-care facility	Y	Y
15.	Family day-care home	Y	Y
16.	Health-care facility, nursing home	N	N
17.	Health-care facility, outpatient	Y	Y
18.	Meeting place for membership organizations such as veterans and other public service groups, including function halls and any uses normally incident thereto	N	N
19.	Business, professional, government or political campaign office	Y	Y
20.	Printing and private mail services	Y	Y
21.	Kennel, commercial	N	N
22.	Kennel, private	N	N
23.	Greenhouse, commercial	N	N
24.	Temporary storage of discarded materials or junk vehicles. Temporary storage area shall be fenced and shielded and not exceed 400 square feet.	N	N
25.	Motor vehicle sales, service, repair, or service station, provided that, except for storage of school buses, rental or sales vehicles, and vehicles under repair, there will not be any exterior storage or placement of vehicles, equipment, discarded parts, tires or coin-operated machines.	N	N
26.	Country inn pursuant to § 390-4.7 [Added 4-28-2003]	Y	Y
27.	Registered marijuana dispensary	N	N
28.	Off-site medical marijuana dispensary	N	N
29.	Privately owned wastewater treatment facility (PWTF) designed and approved in accordance with 314 CMR 5.00, as amended	N	Y

D.	Recreational Uses	Village Zone A	Village Zone B
1.	Club, country club, tennis club, golf courses	N	SP
2.	Conservation or open space area, recreation, common or park land	Y	Y
3.	Stables, public	N	N
4.	Health club or athletic club with indoor/outdoor facility	Y	Y

E.	Public and Semi-Public Uses	Village Zone A	Village Zone B
1.	School	N	SP
2.	Library	Y	SP
3.	Government building or facility or complex of government buildings or facilities	Y	Y
4.	Cemetery	N	N
5.	Church or place or religious worship, parsonage	Y	Y
6.	Funeral home	Y	N
7.	Post office	SPA/SP	Y
8.	Public transportation terminal	N	N

F.	Industrial Uses	Village Zone A	Village Zone B
1.	Research laboratory (except those designed and intended for the development of nuclear, chemical or germ/biological weapons, or similar activities)	N	N
2.	Light manufacturing facility within a totally enclosed structure, including, but not limited to: printing or publishing plants, bottling works, food processors or bakeries not operated at retail, electronics industries, electroplating, light metal fabrication or finishing (excluding heavy punch presses and drop hammers), products assembled from previously processed materials such as bone, ceramic, cloth, glass, leather, metals, plastics, paper, rubber (except tires), wood (except planing mills), electric and mechanical instruments and appliances, optical goods, cosmetics, toiletries and pharmaceutical products	N	N
3.	Construction business, heavy vehicle storage	N	N
4.	Warehouse and storage facilities other than a facilities for storage of so-called junk vehicles and other scrapped materials reprocessing	N	N
5.	Oil, coal, gas or propane fuel business	N	N
6.	Public or municipal utility facility related solely to the control of, or transmission and/or distribution of a utility	N	N
7.	Planned industrial/office park (PI/OP)	N	N
8.	Facilities used to generate electrical or steam or other power (for commercial purposes other than that required by the operator of said plant for on-site needs). Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the sale of excess power during nonpeak periods from time-to-time to an existing utility.	N	N
9.	Roof-mounted/building-mounted solar photovoltaic installation⁸	N	SPA/SP(PB)
10.	Ground-mounted solar photovoltaic installation⁸	N	SPA/SP (PB)
11.	Privately owned wastewater treatment facility (PWTF) designed and approved in accordance with 314 CMR 5.00, as amended.	N	Y

G.	Public/Municipal Utilities	Village Zone A	Village Zone B
1.	Public or municipal utility facility, but not including electricity-generating units, new utility rights-of-way, or oil, gas, or propane storage tanks in excess of 5,000 gallons	N	N
2.	Public or municipal utility facility, but not including generating units in excess of 10 megawatts, new rights-of-way, or oil, gas, or propane storage tanks in excess of 5,000 gallons	N	N
3.	Wireless communications facility incidental to an existing public or municipal utility facility	N	N

H.	Accessory Uses	Village Zone A	Village Zone B
1.	Enclosed wireless communication transmitter/receptor within a nonresidential building or structure	SP	SP
2.	Home occupation (See § 390-4.5.)	SP	SP
3.	Home occupation: antique shop, beauty parlor, barber shop, real estate office (See § 390-4.5.)	SPA/SP (PB)	N
4.	Bed-and-breakfast home (see § 390-4.6.)	SP	SP
5.	Accessory uses on the same lot, such as garages, stables, barns, tool sheds, farm buildings and enclosures, farm equipment, tennis courts, and swimming pools for personal use	SP	SP
6.	Common driveway	SP	SP
7.	Roof-mounted/building-mounted solar photovoltaic installation	SPA/SP (PB)	SPA/SP (PB)
8.	Ground-mounted solar photovoltaic installation	SPA/SP (PB)	SPA/SP (PB)
9.	Function hall	N	Y

Location of uses. For developments in the Village Zone, the Town envisions uses arrayed according to the diagram below. The goals are to preserve and strengthen the Village Center; to provide flexibility for new development, while concentrating additional commercial and a mix of uses near to the existing Village; to provide residential development (townhouses, smaller multifamily dwellings) in the mixed use and residential development zones; and to transition to less dense residential uses further from the Village, near to the existing residential neighborhoods. Retail uses are not contemplated in the compact residential buffer.

Uses shall be generally developed as follows: The Town wishes to concentrate additional commercial uses near to the existing retail uses on South Street. Percentages are for gross square feet of development.

Compact residential buffer area: 100% residential.

Compact residential/mixed-use area: up to 70% residential.

Mixed-use area: a minimum of 40% commercial uses.

[1]

Editor's Note: See the Use Regulation Schedule included as an attachment to this chapter.

Dimensional requirements in the VZ District.

	Minimum Lot Dimensions		Minimum Yard Dimensions			Maximum Height of Building		Lot Coverage (imperv- ious)
District	Area (square feet)	Continuous Frontage (feet)	Front (feet)	Side (feet)	Rear (feet)	Stories	Feet	Percent
VZ Subdistrict A	10,000	50	0	5 to 15	10 to 25	2.5	35	50
VZ Subdistrict B	25,000	200	0-25	5 to 15	10 to 25	3	40	75

NOTE: Within the Village Zone, all dimensions shall be specified in an approved site plan pursuant to Article VII.

Additional dimensional requirements:

No single structure in Subdistrict B shall exceed 48,000 square feet.

Every building shall have frontage on a street, and every building shall be oriented toward the street.

Residential density shall be a minimum of five units per acre.

On-site parking requirements. Parking requirements shall be in accordance with the provisions of § 390-6.4 of the Wrentham Zoning Bylaws. By grant of a special permit by the Planning Board, parking requirements may be varied, including reductions as provided in the shared and off-site parking provisions in § 390-6.4B(8)(l).

§ 390-21.4 Conflicting and additional provisions.

If the provisions of this bylaw are in conflict with any other section of the Wrentham Zoning Bylaw, the regulations of the VZ shall govern. Projects in the Village Zone shall be subject to Article VII, Site Plan Approval, and Article VIII, Community and Environmental Assessment.

§ 390-21.5 Administration.

Within the Village Zone, the Planning Board shall conduct and coordinate the permitting process and serve as the special permit granting authority (SPGA) and will conduct site plan review and design review as described in § 390- 21.4.

Supplemental materials. The Planning Board may adopt rules and regulations and/or design guidelines to advance the purposes, and to assist with the implementation, of this bylaw.

Appointment of a Design Advisory Team (DAT).

The Planning Board may, at its option, appoint a Design Advisory Team (DAT) to assist in the review of any project in the Village Zone that requires site plan review pursuant to Article VII. Members of the DAT shall include, as appropriate to the project, one or more architects, civil engineers, landscape architects/designers, design-related professionals, persons with training or experience in historic preservation, and property/business owners. At least one Planning Board member and the Planning Director shall serve on any Design Advisory Team.

The DAT will provide advisory professional design review assistance to the Planning Board.

The DAT may also submit a written report to the Planning Board. The DAT will be appointed at a regularly scheduled meeting where public notice has been provided.

At the direction of the Planning Board, a project applicant may be required to meet with the DAT to discuss resolution of design concerns.

§ 390-21.6 Preapplication meetings.

All applicants for projects within the Village Zone are required to contact the Planning Director to arrange a preapplication meeting to review the proposed project. The purpose of the preapplication meetings is to answer questions and concerns in order to streamline the review process for applicants and for the Town. The Planning Director will coordinate, as appropriate, additional preapplication meetings with the Planning Board and/or other Town officials.

§ 390-21.7 Concurrent review and granting of special permits.

At the proponent's option, all special permits required for a project may be submitted and reviewed concurrently. The Planning Board encourages concurrent review of all special permit applications.

§ 390-21.8 Criteria for special permit approval.

In addition to the criteria for a special permit decision in § 390-9.2 of the Wrentham Zoning Bylaw, the Planning Board shall also consider the following before issuing a special permit within the Village Zone:

Degree to which the proposed project complies with the goals of this bylaw, including the design standards and design guidelines, if adopted.

Adequacy of the site in terms of the size of the proposed use(s).

Suitability of the site for the proposed use(s).

Adequacy of the provision of open space, its accessibility to the general public, and/or its association with adjacent or proximate open space areas.

Adequacy of pedestrian access to buildings and between public spaces.

Impact on the visual character of the immediate area and surrounding neighborhood.

Preservation of existing historic assets.

§ 390-21.9 Permitting process: Village B Subdistrict.

It is the Town's goal to develop Subdistrict B as a pedestrian-oriented extension of the historic Wrentham downtown. While the build-out may take many years, the Town desires a master plan approach achieved through submission and approval of the Village Zone Concept Plan for this Subdistrict. The purposes of the Concept Plan are to encourage redevelopment of the land in a manner compatible with the existing historic Town center; to provide for the highest and best use of this property; and to avoid fragmented, project-by-project reviews and development. The Village Zone permitting process will ensure that development in Subdistrict B meets the Town's development goals for this area.

The following process is required prior to applying for a building permit in order to meet the purposes of this zoning bylaw:

Preapplication meeting(s).

Village Zone Concept Plan submission and approval.

Village Zone site plan approval/special permit.

§ 390-21.10 Village Zone Concept Plan submission and approval.

After the preapplication meeting, the first step in the permitting process is submission and Planning Board approval of a Village Zone Concept Plan (VZCP). The Concept Plan is intended to provide guidance for the applicant and the Town. The Concept Plan shows the contemplated full project buildout and the individual elements thereof. The Concept Plan also provides the foundation for all Village Zone special permit applications. Approval of a Concept Plan ensures that subsequent development projects meet the purposes of this bylaw before detailed engineering, design and other associated costs are expended.

Concept Plan submission requirements:

A statement describing the development project and details on how the project meets the purposes of the Wrentham Village Zone.

A description of the anticipated build-out time schedule, indicating near-term, mid-term and long-term phasing of the project.

A set of preliminary plans, including:

Anticipated lot subdivisions, if any;

A site development plan (signed by a registered professional) showing the approximate locations of the proposed street and sidewalk layout, including the block lengths;

Location and proposed size ("footprint") of proposed buildings, including the anticipated uses for each structure;

(d)

General site grading, with finish floor elevations;

(e)

All proposed parking, including provision for on-street parking spaces;

(f)

Landscaped areas, open space and wetlands and proposed buffers from existing adjacent uses;

(g)

Information on snow storage and removal;

(h)

Utilities plan, including provision for wastewater and stormwater treatment;

(i)

Lighting plan, including information on light poles, bases and fixtures; and

(j)

Description of general architectural design(s) proposed for the structures, and heights.

The Planning Board may request additional materials, or may waive specific submittal material during its review of the Concept Plan.

Concept Plan approval process.

The Planning Board shall review the submitted Village Zone Concept Plan at one or more public meetings, where public comment will be invited. The Planning Board shall have 65 days to determine if the Plan meets the provisions of this bylaw. Final approval of the Concept Plan shall be at a public hearing. A written communication from the Board will outline how the Plan is (or is not) in substantial conformity with the bylaw, or what modifications would be required for the Concept Plan to meet the provisions of this bylaw. The review time may be extended in writing, signed by all parties.

Concept Plan approval is advisory and does not bind either the applicant or the Planning Board; however, it is the intention of the Town to expedite the permitting process and provide a degree of certainty and timeliness in project approvals, given that an applicant seeks to meet the Town's vision and goals for the Village, as reflected in the Concept Plan.

§ 390-21.11 Permitting process: Village B Subdistrict.

Any as-of-right proposed development in Village Subdistrict B of less than 5,000 total gross square feet that is sited on an existing public way or an approved and constructed layout of a private way shall be subject only to site plan approval, Article VII, and community and environmental assessment, Article VIII, as applicable, prior to obtaining a building permit. Any proposed development exceeding 5,000 square feet, or not located on such an existing public way or an approved and constructed layout of a private way, shall require a Village Zone special permit (VZSP) prior to obtaining a building permit for a project in Village Subdistrict B. The VZSP shall govern all future development on the site(s) specified in the special permit application and associated plans; and the layouts and uses of all streets within the site(s) and all streets that provide access between the site(s) and any public way. All construction and associated improvements shall be in compliance with the approved Village Zone special permit and accompanying plans. The Village Zone special permit specifies the street and sidewalk layouts, site improvements, traffic improvements, public amenities, specific location of buildings, uses proposed in the buildings, and the architecture of structures. The special permit application may propose that the parcel(s) be developed in phases, but the submission shall show the full proposed buildout of the entire site. It is the intention of the Town that the approved Concept Plan provide the foundation for the Village Zone special permit application. The Concept Plan and Village Zone special permit may be submitted concurrently for Planning Board approval.

Village Zone special permit submission requirements.

All of the items noted under § 390-21.10, Village Zone Concept Plan submission and approval, above shall be submitted, except they are not to be considered "preliminary" for filing the special permit application.

Building elevations and perspective renderings shall also be submitted.

The Planning Board may request additional plans and studies as part of the Village Zone special permit submission, including but not limited to a traffic impact analysis. The Planning Board may also waive specific submission requirements.

Applicant shall reference any other special permit(s) being requested, or contemplated to be requested, in conjunction with the VZSP, as well as any exceptions from the Wrentham Subdivision Rules and Regulations, as applicable.

Village Zone special permit review. The Wrentham Planning Board will review all Village Zone special permit applications consistent with MGL c. 40A, § 9 and § 11, including the advertising for and holding of a public hearing. The Planning Board will take final action on the Village Zone special permit within 90 days of receipt of the application, unless mutually extended in writing by all parties.

Site plan approval and community environmental assessment.

Site plan approval, Article VII, and the community environmental assessment, Article VIII, shall be conducted concurrently with the Village Zone special permit review, and within the ninety-day special permit review period, unless mutually extended in writing by all parties. The Planning Board may agree to a phased site plan approval process for development projects that are identified in the special permit application as proposed to be constructed at a later time.

Specific submission requirements will be coordinated with the Planning Director and Planning Board for the special permit, site plan approval and community environmental assessment to eliminate duplicative and redundant submission requirements.

Village Zone special permit approval.

The Planning Board as SPGA may grant a Village Zone special permit if it finds the following have all been met:

Criteria for special permit approval, § 390-9.2 and § 390-21.8 (above).

Design standards, § 390-21.13 below.

Site plan approval, Article VII.

(d)

Community and environmental assessment, Article VIII.

The project shall also be consistent with any design guidelines approved by the Planning Board in conjunction with this bylaw. (See § 390-21.5A above.)

The special permit may include approval of both a schematic development plan, including phasing, and the proposed mix of uses in the development. If the project proponent elects to utilize concurrent review of special permits (§ 390-21.7 above), the findings must be met for each special permit requested.

The decision of the Planning Board for Village Zone special permit application projects may be approval, approval with conditions, or denial of the requested special permit(s). The Village Zone special permit shall also specify phasing time lines, if applicable.

§ 390-21.12 Permitting process: Village A Subdistrict.

Projects proposed in the Village A Subdistrict will be subject to site plan approval, Article VII, and community and environmental assessment, Article VIII, as applicable, prior to obtaining a building permit. Site plan approval will not be required for any as-of-right (allowed) project less than 5,000 square feet in the Village A Subdistrict. Site plan approval will be conducted concurrently with any special permit applications, and for projects 5,000 square feet or larger.

§ 390-21.13 Design standards.

The Planning Board shall consider the following design standards in reviewing any Village Zone special permit, other special permits in the Wrentham Village Zone, and in conducting site plan approvals, consistent with Article VII. The design standards are intended to promote quality development emphasizing the Town's sense of history and desire for contextual, pedestrian-scaled projects. All applications made pursuant to this bylaw shall be subject to the following design standards:

Context. To ensure development that is in harmony with historic downtown, the design standards for the Route 1 District (§ 390-19.7) for proportions, roof design, scale of structure, facades, etc. should be addressed.

[Amended 11-21-2022 STM by Art. 9]

Entrances.

For visibility and accessibility, all primary commercial building entrances shall be visible from the right-of-way and the sidewalk, and shall have an entrance directly accessible from the sidewalk.

Directional signage to the building entrance(s) shall be installed. All entrances are to have sufficient illumination at nighttime.

External materials and appearance.

External building treatments shall relate to and be in harmony with surrounding structures.

Ground-floor commercial building facades facing streets shall contain transparent windows encompassing a minimum of 35% of the facade surface.

Landscaping and sidewalk amenities. To the extent possible, projects shall provide pedestrian-friendly amenities, such as outdoor seating, patios, porches or courtyards. Window boxes are encouraged. Large windows that open up to provide the experience of "open air dining" are encouraged for restaurant uses. Site landscaping shall be maximized and, to the extent possible, native plant materials should be utilized.

Pedestrian connectivity.

Pedestrian passages/sidewalks designed to connect developments within the former Crosby Valve/Tyco/FMC site and to the historic downtown are required to promote walkable neighborhoods. These connections may be utilized to decrease the amount of required parking up to 5% at the Planning Board's discretion as part of a special permit approval.

Surface parking lots and parking structures shall provide pedestrian walkways and connections to the sidewalk system.

Vehicle and bicycle parking.

Parking areas shall be located behind or beside buildings wherever possible. On-street parking is encouraged. Clear and attractive pedestrian access shall be provided between rear parking areas and building entries.

Parking structures shall be designed to be compatible with adjacent buildings and architecture.

Bicycle parking shall be provided for all new developments.

Any property owner required to have bicycle parking may elect to establish a shared bicycle parking facility with any other property owner within the same block to meet these requirements.

Sustainable building design. It is desirable that new buildings incorporate green building techniques (such as those outlined by the U.S. Green Building Council) to the maximum extent feasible.

Environmentally friendly design/low-impact development (LID). It is desirable that site design incorporate low-impact development (LID) techniques to the maximum extent possible in order to achieve the following goals: maintain water balance on the site, reduce impervious cover, preserve natural areas, treat stormwater locally and integrate wastewater treatment into the site design.

Historic structures.

Existing historic structures on the site shall be preserved and renovated for use as part of the development.