ZONING BY-LAW


TOWN OF FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

JULY, 1997
(REPRINTED: SEPTEMBER, 1997)

FRAMINGHAM PLANNING BOARD
Sidney Gorovitz, Chairperson
Helen Lemoine, Vice Chairperson
Dana Cunningham, Clerk
Susan P. Bernstein
Laurence W. Marsh
Edwin W. Briggs, Associate Member

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. GENERAL I-1
A. Authority 1
B. Purpose 1
C. Basic Requirements 1
D. Non-Conformity 1
E. Definitions 1
II. ESTABLISHMENT OF DISTRICTS II-1 
A. Classes of Districts 1
B. Incorporation of the Zoning Map 1
C. Boundaries of Districts 1
D. Building Code And Fire Limits 1
III. USE AND DIMENSIONAL REGULATIONS III-1 
A. Single Residence 1
B. General Residence 6
C. Business Districts 7
  • 1. Neighborhood Business District (B-1) 7
  • 2. Community Business District (B-2) 9
  • 3. General Business Districts (B-3 and B-4) 11
  • 4. Business District (B) and Central Business District (CB) 12 
    • D. Office And Professional Districts 13
E. Planned Reuse 14
F. Light Manufacturing District 16
G. General Manufacturing Districts 17
H. Floodplain Districts 18
I. Open Space And Recreation District 20
J. Planned Unit Development District 21
K. Geriatric Care/Elderly Housing District 30
L. Technology Park District 32
M. Adult Uses Districts 35
    IV. SPECIAL REGULATIONS IV-1 
    A. General Parking Regulations 1
  • l. Basic Requirement: 1
  • 2. Applicability 1
  • 3. Reduction of Existing Spaces 1
  • 4. Conformance with Use Regulations 1 
    • B. Off-Street Parking 2
  • 1. Number of Spaces Required 2
  • 2. Location of Facilities 4
  • 3. Design Standards 5
  • 4. Landscaped Open Space in Parking Facility 7
  • 5. Maintenance of Parking Areas 7
  • 6. Applicability for Parking Structures and Small Facilities 7
  • 7. Special Provisions for Central Business District and Neighborhood Business District 7 
    • C. Off-Street Loading 9
  • 1. Applicability 9
  • 2. Table of Off-Street Loading Regulations 9
  • 3. Location and Design 9 
    • D. Service Stations And Outdoor Auto Sales 10
  • 1. Location and Width of Driveways 10
  • 2. Dimensional Regulations 10
  • 3. Curbing, Surfacing, and Lighting 10 
    • E. Fur Farms And Kennels 11
F. Accessory Uses 12
G. Dimensional Regulations 13
  • 1. General Requirement 13
  • 2. Table of Dimensional Regulations 13
  • 3. Lot Area Regulations 14
  • 4. Lot Frontage and Width Regulations 14
  • 5. Setback Regulations 14
  • 6. Open Space Regulations 15
  • 7. Building Height and Bulk Regulations 15
  • 8. Exemptions from Dimensional Regulations 16
  • 9. Dimensional Regulations for Educational and Institutional Uses 17
  • 10. Dimensional Regulations for Geriatric Care/Elderly Housing District Uses 17 
    • H. Supplemental Regulations 18
  • 1. Trailers 18
  • I. Site Plan Review 19
  • 1. Purpose 19
  • 2. General Provisions 19
  • 3. Basic Requirements 19
  • 4. Application and Review Procedure 20
  • 5. Contents and Scope of Applications 20
  • 6. Development Impact Standards 23
  • 7. Decision 25
  • 8. Conditions, Limitations and Safeguards 26
  • 9. Administration 26
  • 10. Separability 27 
    • J. Automatic Carwash and/or Self-service Carwash 28
K. Highway Overlay District Regulations 30
  • 1. Purpose and Intent 30
  • 2. Definitions 30
  • 3. Establishment Of Districts 31
  • 4. Use Regulations 32
  • 5. Intensity Regulations 32
  • 6. Open Space Requirements 34
  • 7. Dimensional Regulations 34
  • 8. Landscaping Requirements 35
  • 9. Bonus Density Provisions 39
  • 10. Administration 41 
    • L. Wireless Communications Facilities 43
  • 1. Purpose 43
  • 2. Definitions 43
  • 3. General Requirements 43
  • 4. Dimensional Requirements for Wireless Communications Facilities 44
  • 5. Application Procedure 45
  • 6. Design Requirements 45
  • 7. Permit to Construct 46
    • V. ADMINISTRATION V-1 
    A. Enforcement 1
B. Building Permit 1
C. Certificate Of Occupancy 1
D. Board Of Appeals 2
E. Special Permits 3
  • l. Special Permit Granting Authority 3
  • 2. Procedure for Special Permit 3
  • 3. Conditions of Approval of Special Permit 4
  • 4. Repetitive Application 5 
    • F. Variances 5
  • l. Limitation of Use Variances 5
  • 2. Procedure for Variance 5
  • 3. Conditions of Issuance of Variances 6
  • 4. Variances in Floodplain Districts 6
  • 5. Repetitive Petition 7 
    • G. Repetitive Petition 7
H. Penalty 7
I. Separability 7
J. Amendment 7
K. Effective Date 7
L. Notification Of Public Hearings 7
    VI. DESCRIPTION OF BOUNDARIES OF ZONING DISTRICTS VI-1 
    Explanatory Notes Regarding Zoning Map 1
Map Amendments Since 1986 2
    APPENDIX 1 - LAWS AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING LAND USE A1-i
    APPENDIX 2 - NUISANCE BY-LAW A2-i
    APPENDIX 3 - SIGN BY-LAW (New Sign By-Law Is Not Provided Herein) A3-i
    APPENDIX 4 - HANDICAPPED PARKING A4-i
    APPENDIX 5 - SIGN AND ZONING BY-LAW VIOLATIONS A5-i
    APPENDIX 6 - ILLUSTRATIONS OF DIMENSIONAL REGULATIONS A6-i
    APPENDIX 7 - LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS) A7-i
    APPENDIX 8 - FRAMINGHAM WETLANDS PROTECTION BY-LAW A8-i
    APPENDIX 9 - DEMOLITION DELAY BY-LAW/HISTORIC DISTRICTS A9-i
    APPENDIX 10 - PUBLIC WAY ACCESS PERMIT A10-i
    TABLES

    LISTING OF ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENTS SINCE 1986 a

    TABLE OF OFF-STREET PARKING REGULATIONS IV-2

    PARKING TABLE IV-5

    TABLE OF OFF-STREET LOADING REGULATIONS IV-9

    TABLE OF DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS IV-13

    BUILDING HEIGHT LIMITATIONS IN HIGHWAY OVERLAY DISTRICTS IV-35

    SCHEDULE OF FAR BONUSES IN HIGHWAY OVERLAY DISTRICTS IV-40

    TABLE OF MAP SYMBOLS VI-1

    MINIMUM LOT SIZE PER ZONING DISTRICT VI-1

    LISTING OF ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS SINCE 1986 VI-2

    LEVEL OF SERVICE MEASURES A7-i

    VEHICLE/CAPACITY RATIOS AND VEHICLE DELAY A7-i

    ILLUSTRATIONS

    ILLUSTRATION OF STALL AND AISLE DIMENSIONS IV-6

    LOT AREA CALCULATIONS FOR IRREGULARLY SHAPED LOTS A6-i

    LOT FRONTAGE AND WIDTH CALCULATION A6-ii

    LOT FRONTAGE EXCEPTION IN R-3 AND R-4 DISTRICTS A6-iii

    DETERMINATION OF SETBACK DISTANCES A6-iv

    SITE CLEARANCE AT CORNER LOTS A6-v