Zoning

"Zoning" can be the heart and soul of any construction or development project. Whether a single family home, mixed use development or potential new business, the Zoning Bylaws will be the first place to look to determine what  is allowed in a location. Zoning incorporates a few basic principles, all of which guide development on a site.

Dimensional Regulations

Dimensional Controls determine where construction may occur on a lot. Typically, they will include required lot area, setbacks from front, side and rear property lines, and often the allowed height of a structure. When a project doesn't quite meet the required dimensional control, Brown & Brown can help in a variety of ways. While a variance or waiver may be obtained, there are also other land based approaches which may be more beneficial for a client. 

Allowed Use

Zoning also controls what uses are allowed on a property. Each zoning district has certain uses or activities which are allowed within that district. Once again, this is a determining factor for where a project may occur, or the parameters it may need to meet. Often, specific uses are allowed, but require additional permitting before a municipal board. Brown & Brown can help determine what is allowed, and work with a client to enable the project desired.

Rezoning

Often, a  project is clearly beneficial to a community, but simply does not fit within current zoning. Or, perhaps zoning is older, and has not accounted for a more modern use- as is often seen with senior housing or assisted living. In these instances, a viable option may be a rezoning of the property, or creation of a new "overlay" zoning district- which would allow additional uses while maintaining the original zoning. Brown & Brown is experienced in drafting new zoning bylaws for both private clients and municipalities. We have been highly successful in championing new bylaws through Board review and public Town Meeting acceptance.