Zoning & land use in Massachusetts local government
What Massachusetts city councils, county boards and school districts are deciding about zoning & land use — plain-English summaries written from official agendas and minutes, updated as meetings happen.
14,528 Massachusetts meetings since 2024 covered zoning & land use. Counts are directional — coverage varies by place and platform.
Places in Massachusetts with the most zoning & land use activity
- Nantucket County, MA (475)
- Plymouth, MA (240)
- Dennis, MA (236)
- Franklin Town, MA (235)
- Attleboro, MA (222)
- Yarmouth, MA (211)
- Lawrence, MA (204)
- Leominster, MA (190)
- Wellesley, MA (186)
- Auburn, MA (180)
- Orleans, MA (176)
- Salem, MA (163)
Latest matching meetings
Zoning Board to decide on 8 cases including subdivision withdrawal
The Taunton Zoning Board of Appeals will consider multiple requests for variances and special permits at this meeting. Items include a proposed withdrawal of a variance for a 5.45-acre subdivision, conversion of a single-family to two-family dwelling, renewal of an accessory dwelling unit, and several lot division…
Council to consider amending deed restriction for veterinary hospital at 60 Wells Avenue
The City Council is meeting to consider a petition from WELLS 60 Realty LLC to amend a 1963 deed restriction on property at 60 Wells Avenue, which would allow a veterinary hospital in a Limited Manufacturing district. The item has been referred to multiple committees for review. The rest of the agenda consists of…
ZBA to decide on illuminated Citizens Bank sign at 547 Main St
The Medfield Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a remote meeting on October 14, 2026, to consider a request for a special permit and/or variance to install an illuminated wall sign reading 'CITIZENS' on the side of the building at 547 Main St. The application, continued from August 12, 2026, is the only substantive…
Board to review special permit for Spruce Street addition after denial
The Milton Zoning Board of Appeals is holding a public meeting to consider an application for a special permit for a property at 37 Spruce Street. The applicant seeks to build a one-and-a-half-story addition and a side deck, but the project was previously denied because it would extend an existing setback…
ZBA to hear two petitions: house rebuild on nonconforming lot, sign variance
The Braintree Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on two new business petitions. The first seeks approval to demolish and reconstruct a single-family home on a nonconforming lot at 62 Fountain Street. The second requests a variance for a wall sign at 165 Pearl Street. The board will also approve the…
Public hearing on rezoning 129 College Street from Residential A-1 to Business B
The South Hadley Planning Board will hold a hybrid public hearing on September 28, 2026, to discuss a landowner petition by Priscilla Ryan to amend the Zoning Map, changing 129 College Street from Residential A-1 to Business B zoning. The 3.4-acre parcel, with an existing office building, is identified as Assessor's…
Planning Board to hold hearings on sign, nonconformity, and clean energy zoning changes
The Northampton Planning Board, with the City Council Committee on Legislative Matters, will hold public hearings on three proposed zoning amendment packages. These amendments address sign regulations, pre-existing nonconformities, and small clean energy infrastructure permitting, each to comply with recent court…
Board of Zoning Appeal to hear three residential zoning cases on Sept 24
The Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeal will hold a virtual public hearing on September 24, 2026, to decide three residential zoning cases involving special permits and variances for non-conforming structures in C-1 zones.
ZBA to hold remote hearing on three zoning appeals
The Wellesley Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a remote public hearing on September 24, 2026, at 7:30 pm. The board will consider three zoning appeals: ZBA 2026-53 (Dean Behrend, 592 Washington Street), ZBA 2026-54 (Dinosaur Linden LLC, 10 Railroad Street), and ZBA 2026-55 (First Citizens Bank & Trust Company, 26…
Historic district panel to review six demolition and construction requests
The Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District Committee will hold a public hearing on September 23, 2026 at 6:00 pm in the Town Hall, 685 Route 134, South Dennis, Stone Hearing Room, Lower Level. The meeting is open to in-person and Zoom attendance and will review six applications for demolition, new construction…
Lenox Planning Board hearing on zoning bylaw amendments for Nov. Town Meeting
The Lenox Planning Board will hold a public hearing to present and receive comments on proposed Zoning Bylaw amendments slated for the November 5, 2026 Special Town Meeting warrant. The amendments revise definitions, dimensional requirements, use regulations, and parking/sign rules, and add a new limited site plan…
Pittsfield City Council to hold two zoning amendment public hearings
The Pittsfield City Council will hold two public hearings on September 22, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Council Chambers. One hearing concerns a zoning map amendment to expand the I-L District onto 1 Federico Drive, and the other concerns amendments to zoning regulations for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Both…
ZBA to hear sign variance for 1 Riverside Road and tower extension for 150 Highland Street
The Weston Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a remote public hearing on two variance requests: a continuation for a sign variance at 1 Riverside Road and a new request for an extension to a communications tower variance at 150 Highland Street. The meeting also includes a public discussion period for matters not on the…
Planning Board to hear McDonald's rebuild at 9 Taunton Street
The Plainville Planning Board will hold a public hearing on September 21, 2026, to consider McDonald's Corporation's application for a Special Permit and Site Plan Review to rebuild the existing restaurant at 9 Taunton Street. The Special Permit is needed for a reduction in the front yard setback. The hearing will…
Planning Board to hear site plan review for temporary parking lot at 5 West Bacon Street
The Plainville Planning Board will hold a public hearing to consider a Site Plan Review application from Bacon Square Properties, LLC for 5 West Bacon Street. The applicant proposes to use the property temporarily as a controlled parking lot. The board may also issue any additional permits deemed necessary during the…
Public hearing on proposed Cottage Community Development zoning by-law
The Mattapoisett Planning Board will hold a public hearing to consider adding a Cottage Community Development By-law to the town's zoning regulations. The draft text is available at the Town Clerk's and Planning Board's offices. Interested parties may attend in person or via Zoom and provide input.
Concord committee meets to review 2229 Main Street oversight items
The 2229 Main Street Oversight Committee will convene a routine meeting to receive updates and discuss public outreach for the 2229 Main Street property. No substantive decisions are listed on the agenda.
Planning Board to review zoning bylaw amendments aligning with state law
The Hubbardston Planning Board is discussing proposed amendments to the Zoning Bylaw to conform with changes to the Massachusetts Zoning Act (G.L. c. 40A). The changes affect sections on variances, non-conforming uses, abandonment, and permit timelines. A two-thirds vote is required for approval. The agenda is…
Zoning Board of Appeals meeting cancelled for Sept 17
The Franklin Zoning Board of Appeals will not hold its scheduled September 17, 2026 meeting. The next meeting is set for October 1, 2026. This agenda contains only a cancellation notice with no items for discussion or decision.
ZBA to hear special permit and variance requests for 224 Perry Hill Road
The Acushnet Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing to consider two requests from Nathan J. and Karissa E. Deree for property at 224 Perry Hill Road. The first is a new application for a special permit to allow three commercial vehicles instead of one. The second is a continued variance request from June…
Planning Board to hold joint hearing on data center ban, rezoning, overlay changes
The Newburyport Planning Board will hold a joint public hearing with the City Council Planning & Development Committee to consider three zoning amendments: adding data centers to prohibited uses, rezoning 10 Woodman Way to R3, and extending the Demolition Control Overlay District to former Federal Street Overlay…
ZBA to hear two special permit requests for nonconforming stairs/deck
The Pittsfield Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on September 16, 2026, at 7:00 P.M. to consider two special permit applications under Article 23 Section 8.3 of the Zoning Ordinance. Both requests involve work on nonconforming residential structures: one for reconfiguring and replacing stairs within a…
Planning Board reviews site plan amendment for 26 Columbine Rd drainage fix
The Weston Planning Board will hold a remote public meeting to review an application for a Site Plan Approval Amendment to remediate grading and drainage issues at 26 Columbine Rd. The applicants and owners are Paul and Andrea Pettinato. The property is a 31,363sf lot in the Residence C Zoning District.
Planning Board votes on residential addition at 30 Cedar Lane
The Eastham Planning Board will hold a public hearing to decide on a site plan approval for a residential addition at 30 Cedar Lane. The owners, Daniel and Margaret Milsky, seek approval under specific zoning sections for a lot of 20,000 square feet or more with site coverage exceeding 3,000 square feet. The board…
Southbridge to weigh solar, battery storage zoning changes and data center moratorium
The Southbridge Town Council and Planning Board will hold a public hearing to consider modifying Zoning Bylaw Sections 8.5 (Solar as of Right) and 8.6 (Battery Energy Storage Systems), and to discuss adding a temporary moratorium on data centers. The meeting is scheduled for September 16, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the…
Joint committee continues hearing on 2025 Multifamily Zoning Amendments
The Housing/Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebrations Committees are continuing a joint public hearing from June 25, 2026, on the 2025 Multifamily Zoning Amendments. They will consider potential modifications and review Policy Order 2026-123, which requests a feasibility analysis of…
ZBA continues hearing on 40-home Woodland Ridge 40B project
The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public continuation hearing on a 40B Comprehensive Permit application for Woodland Ridge, a 40-home subdivision on 45.5 acres at 24 Bancroft Street. The proposal includes 10 affordable units. The board will also vote on minutes from four prior meetings.
Planning Board to hear city-wide zoning amendment
The Springfield Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Zone Change #3265, which proposes amending Articles 4, 5, 7, and 9 of the zoning code. The agenda also includes standard procedural items such as roll call and acceptance of minutes. No specific dollar amounts or street addresses are listed for the other…
PFAS cleanup at 41A Lowell Road and dam removal hearing on agenda
The Pepperell Conservation Commission is holding a public hearing on a Notice of Intent to remediate PFAS contamination at 41A Lowell Road, with excavated soils to be stockpiled on adjacent town-owned parcels. It will also continue a hearing on the emergency removal of Burke's Pond Dam at 2 Blood Street, and discuss…
Conservation Commission to hold public hearing on septic system work near wetland
The Plympton Conservation Commission will conduct a public hearing to review a request to replace a failing septic system at 8 Churchill Road. The work is proposed within the 100-foot buffer zone of a Bordering Vegetated Wetland under state and local wetlands protection laws.
Conservation Commission to hold remote hearing on septic replacement at 8 Churchill Road
The Plympton Conservation Commission will meet remotely to conduct a public hearing on a septic replacement permit for 8 Churchill Road. The meeting will also include discussions on enforcement cases, water security updates, and potential new commissioner appointments.
Planning Board to hold public hearings on two zoning applications
The Westfield Planning Board will conduct a regular meeting to review and act on zoning-related applications. Two public hearings will continue for a multifamily development and a contractor’s shop. The board will also discuss accessory dwelling unit regulations and meeting start times.
Planning Board to hold hearing on Route 3 Corridor Overlay zoning
The Billerica Planning Board will hold a public hearing regarding Warrant Article 42 to establish a Route 3 Corridor Overlay zoning district. The proposal would adopt Section 11.12 of the Zoning Bylaws and update the town's zoning map. The proposed overlay covers approximately 66.40 acres across parcels on Concord…
Board of Appeals to hear special permit for second-story addition at 24 Bassett St.
The Milton Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public meeting to consider a special permit application from James & Ann O'Connor for a second-story addition and deck at 24 Bassett Street. The proposed work would exceed required setbacks, so a special permit is needed. The meeting will be held remotely via Zoom.
Board to weigh special permit for garage expansion at 2 Andrews Road
The Milton Zoning Board of Appeals is holding a public meeting to consider a special permit application from David and Kelly Twitchell for property at 2 Andrews Road. The applicant seeks to build a second story on an existing detached garage, which would exceed the town's side setback and height limits. The building…
Cape Cod Commission holds virtual hearing on Atkins Road Solar project
The Cape Cod Commission will hold a virtual pro-forma public hearing on the Atkins Road Solar project in East Sandwich. This hearing is procedural only, with no presentations, testimony, or substantive action planned. The project proposes a 7 MW solar array with battery storage and an 18-lot residential subdivision on…
Planning Board to review two site plans and zoning changes at special meeting
The Swampscott Planning Board will hold a special public meeting to discuss two site plan special permits and potential zoning bylaw amendments. The board will also discuss a proposed Smart Growth Zoning District near the Swampscott Commuter Rail Station.
ZBA to hear special permits for boat shed expansion and garage in floodplain
The Cohasset Zoning Board of Appeals will hold public hearings on two special permit applications: one to expand a boat storage shed at 257 Atlantic Ave and another to construct an attached garage within the Floodplain & Watershed Protection Overlay District at 121 Jerusalem Road. The board will also receive an update…
ZBA holds variance training session, no public hearings listed
The Marlborough Zoning Board of Appeals is meeting for a variance training session conducted by the Legal Department. No public hearings or other business items are listed on the agenda, making this a procedural and educational meeting rather than a decision-making one.
Select Board holds housing affordability discussion with no decisions scheduled
The Eastham Select Board will meet on September 14, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the Town Hall’s Earle Mountain Room to discuss housing affordability topics including definitions, local conditions, regulatory players, subsidies, and financial feasibility. No votes or decisions are listed on the agenda; the session is…