[Amended eff. 3-2-1999 by Ord. No. 665]
The intent of this article is to provide for the division of
the City of Methuen into districts of such number, shape and area
as best suited to carry out the purpose of this ordinance, and to
provide guidelines for the interpretation of the location of the district
boundary line indicated upon the Zoning Map.
[Amended by Ord. No. 569; 11-28-2017 by Ord. No. 924]
A.
For the purpose of this ordinance, the City of Methuen is hereby
divided into the following classes of districts:
|
Full Name and Class
|
Abbreviation
|
|---|---|
|
CN Conservancy
|
CN
|
|
RR Rural Residential
|
RR (formerly Agricultural Conservation)
|
|
RA Single Residence
|
RA
|
|
RB Single Residence
|
RB
|
|
RC Single Residence
|
RC
|
|
RD Single Residence
|
RD
|
|
RG Single Residence
|
RG
|
|
MA Multifamily Residence A
|
MA
|
|
MB Multifamily Residence B
|
MB
|
|
BN Neighborhood Business District
|
BN
|
|
CBD Central Business District
|
CBD
|
|
BH Highway Business District
|
BH
|
|
BL Limited Business District
|
BL
|
|
IL Limited Business District
|
IL
|
|
H Hospital District
|
H
|
|
MCSGOD Methuen Center Smart Growth Overlay District
|
MCSGOD
|
B.
In addition, the Floodplain District shall overlay the above districts
under certain conditions.
[Amended by Ord. No. 569]
A.
CN Conservancy District. The Conservancy District is composed of
all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. This district
is intended to serve a dual purpose. It is Methuen's intent to adhere
to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts policy of preserving agricultural
land. All existing agricultural land is therefore designated CN when
its designation is in keeping with Methuen's long-range plans. The
CN District is also intended as a public use district in which the
predominant purposes for the land are for recreational, educational,
institutional and municipal uses. The district is also intended to
preserve and increase the amenities of the City; to provide a specially
suitable setting for public and quasi-public buildings and structures;
to restrict residential uses of the land; to prohibit commercial,
industrial and other uses of the land which would diminish its value
in providing the foregoing setting of said buildings and in serving
the conservational, educational and recreational needs of Methuen.
In addition, the district is specifically intended for the preservation
and maintenance of the groundwater table; for the protection of persons
and property against the hazards of floodwater inundation; for the
protection of the community against the costs which may be incurred
when unsuitable development occurs in swamps, along watercourses or
in areas subject to floods (as indicated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps);
and for the conservation of natural conditions, wildlife and open
spaces for the education, recreation and general welfare of the public.
B.
RR Rural Residential. The RR District has the lowest residential
density of all districts and is generally served by local streets
only. Intensive land uses, uses that would detract from the desired
agricultural/open nature of the district and uses that would otherwise
interfere with the intent of this ordinance are not permitted.
C.
RA Single Family Residence District. The Single Family Residence
District RA is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official
Zoning Map and like the RR District is generally served by local streets
only.
D.
RB Single Family Residence Districts. The Single Family Residence
District RB is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official
Zoning Map and is served by collector and local streets.
E.
RC Single Family Residence District. The Single Family Residence
District RC is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official
Zoning Map. Such areas are generally served by minor arteries, collectors
and local streets.
F.
RD Single Family Residence District. The Single Family Residence
District RD is composed of developed lots approximately 10,000 square
feet in size.
G.
RG General Residence District. The General Residence District RG
is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning
Map, and like the preceding districts is generally served by local
streets and collectors. The predominant land uses are intended to
be single- and two-family homes. Any other uses that would otherwise
interfere with the intent of this ordinance are discouraged.
H.
MA Multifamily Residence A. The Multifamily Residence A District
is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning
Map. Single- and two-family dwellings are allowed in this district;
attached dwellings, multifamily and planned unit developments are
allowed by special permit.
I.
MB Multifamily Residence B. The Multifamily Residence B District
is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning
Map. Single-family and two-family dwellings are allowed in this district.
Attached dwellings, multifamily and planned unit development are allowed
by special permit. This district is primarily established to accommodate
the urbanized areas of Methuen.
J.
BN Neighborhood Business District. The Neighborhood Business District
is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning
Map. Predominant uses include small retail and service establishments
serving the needs of adjacent neighborhoods and oriented to pedestrian
traffic. Uses which would detract from this small-scale business character,
or otherwise interfere with the intent of the ordinance, are prohibited.
K.
CBD Central Business District. The Central Business District is composed
of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. It includes
retail, service, office and residential uses. It is the intent of
this ordinance that the CBD be a place of diversity and a mixture
of uses, provided public health and safety are protected.
L.
BH Highway Business District. The Highway Business District is composed
of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. Uses
include retail, wholesale, office and service uses.
M.
BL Limited Business District. The Limited Business District is composed
of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. It is
established primarily to accommodate uses such as offices, smaller-scale
retail and general business, research and development laboratories
and light assembly. Attached dwellings, multifamily developments and
planned unit developments (PUDs) are also allowed by a special permit.
N.
IL Limited Industrial District. The Limited Industrial District is
composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map.
It is intended to accommodate light industrial uses. Residential uses
are prohibited and retail uses are permitted by special permit only.
O.
H Hospital District. The intent and purpose of the Hospital District
is to allow, by right or by special permit, those uses that would
serve a hospital.
P.
Floodplain District.
(1)
Statement of purpose. The purposes of the Floodplain District are
to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, to protect
human life and property from the hazards of periodic flooding and
to preserve the natural flood control characteristics and the flood
storage capacity of the floodplain.
(2)
Floodplain District boundaries and base flood elevation data. The
Floodplain District is herein established as an overlay district.
The district includes all special flood hazard areas designated on
the Methuen Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) issued by FEMA (successor
to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD) for
the administration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
dated June 18, 1987, and as may be amended from time to time, as Zones
A, AE, AH, AO, A1-A30, A99 and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Flood Boundary and Floodway Map dated June 18, 1987. Both maps indicate
the 100-year regulatory floodplain. The exact boundaries of the district
may be defined by the 100-year base flood elevations shown on the
FIRM and further defined by the Flood Insurance Study booklet dated
June 18, 1987. The FHBM or FIRM and Floodway Maps and Flood Insurance
Study booklet are on file with the City Clerk, Community Development
Board, Building Commissioner and Conservation Commission.
The zoning districts described heretofore in § 3.3,
as detailed on a set of Assessors' maps entitled "Official Zoning
Map of the City of Methuen", with all boundary lines designated thereon,
shall hereby be part of this ordinance, and said Zoning Map shall
be on file in the office of the City Clerk.
Any change in location of boundaries of a zoning district hereafter
made through the amendment of this ordinance shall be indicated by
the alteration of such map; and the map, thus altered, is declared
to be a part of this ordinance thus amended.
The following guidelines shall apply where any uncertainty exists
with respect to the boundary of any district as delineated on the
Zoning Map:
A.
Where district boundaries apparently follow property lines, they
shall be so interpreted.
B.
Where a boundary is indicated upon a street or similar feature such
as a highway, railroad right-of-way, electric transmission, easement
or a watercourse, the center line of said feature shall be interpreted
as the district boundary.
C.
Where a boundary is indicated as approximately parallel to a street
or similar feature, it shall be taken as parallel thereto.
D.
When any uncertainty exists as to the exact location of a boundary,
its location shall be determined by the Building Commissioner; provided,
however, that any person aggrieved by this decision may appeal to
the Board of Appeals.
A.
Where a district boundary divides an existing lot and the major portion
of said lot is in the less restricted district, the regulations relating
to the latter district may extend as well to such portion of said
lot as is not more than 20 feet within the more restricted district.
B.
The order of restrictiveness shall follow that given in § 3.3,
the most restrictive district being CN and the least restrictive being
IL.
When a lot, in one ownership, is situated only in part in the
City of Methuen, this ordinance shall be applied to Methuen's portion
of the lot in the same manner as if the entire lot were situated therein.
