Municipal Zoning Review

 Rutland, MA

Following a joint effort with Beals and Thomas, Inc. to prepare Rutland’s master plan, Brown & Brown completed the regulatory implementation of the plan. Working with the Master Plan Implementation committee, Brown prepared new Subdivision Regulations as well as a Sign bylaw, a number of other new zoning bylaws, including detailed review criteria for special permits.

Included among the bylaws drafted for Rutland and approved by Town Meeting:

Rutland Heights State Hospital Planned Development District: a creative new flexible zone with specific design criteria and incorporation of review by the Rutland Development and Industrial Committee in addition to traditional permitting agencies;

Senior Housing Incentive Zoning: allowing development of senior housing at greater densities along major roadways subject to a specific set of special permit criteria;

Town Center Business District: intended to allow certain businesses to locate along Main Street in residential structures if they don’t exceed certain impact thresholds and provided special permit criteria could be met;

Wireless Communication Facilities: intended to regulate the location, condition, and construction for the Wireless Communication Facilities to minimizing the visual and environmental impacts to the Town;

Sign Bylaw: a new general bylaw intended to regulate the type, number, size, location, and other characteristics of signs in the various zoning districts, prepared with significant input from the business community.