The following minimums must be met unless these are reduced on special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals, upon determination that special circumstances render a lesser provision adequate for all parking needs. Any reduction of existing off-street parking due to construction or change of use shall require a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

In B-1 Districts, residential uses that generate 10 or more parking spaces in accordance with Subsection B below shall be required to provide parking consistent with this article unless determined otherwise through the site plan review process.

Dwellings: two spaces per dwelling unit.

Offices or stores: one space per 250 square feet leasable floor area or fraction thereof.

Restaurant or place of assembly: one space per four seats.

Bowling alley: four spaces per lane.

Nursing home or hospital: one space per four beds.

Manufacturing, research and testing laboratories: one space per 1.3 employees at the largest shift plus one space per 2.6 employees at the second largest shift.

Bed-and-breakfast: one space per guest room plus two spaces for residents.

Those not listed in this schedule shall be individually determined through site plan review pursuant to § 125-19B.

Purpose. The purpose of this Subsection H is to provide maximum protection to the public through the orderly control of traffic moving onto and off of streets, uniform design and layout of new driveways and entrances (curb cuts), adequate vehicular access to a lot and drainage of surface water.

Procedures.

Design and construction standards.

An easement providing permanent access for all properties served by the driveway shall be provided upon application and, if approved, recorded in the Registry of Deeds.

The special permit shall state that the driveway is not a private road or a public road, that it does not meet the standards for a Town road, and that the driveway shall permanently remain a private driveway.

The grade, length and location of common driveways shall be constructed and maintained to provide:

Approval from the Development Cabinet shall be obtained prior to the granting of the special permit.

No common driveway shall be extended to serve additional lots subsequently created.

Land held in common ownership with lots served by a common driveway at the time the lots were created shall not be subsequently subdivided to be served by another common driveway.

The Planning Board may deny the special permit if it determines that the land being subdivided is better served by individual driveways or subdivision approval under Chapter 201, Subdivision Regulations, of the Town Code.

Ownership and maintenance of a common driveway shall be assured through a restrictive covenant, satisfactory to the Planning Board, which binds current and future owners of each lot served by the common driveway to the responsibility for maintenance, repair and reconstruction of the common driveway. A draft covenant shall be submitted for approval with the special permit application and shall include but not be limited to specific standards for maintenance and repair of the drainage system, provision for allocating financial responsibility and a procedure for resolution of disagreements. If the special permit is granted, the covenant shall be recorded at the Registry of Deeds and shall be made part of every deed to every lot served by the common driveway.

The Planning Board may require a performance bond or other security for the completion of the common driveway. Such security shall be posted prior to construction of the driveway. The driveway shall be completed, inspected by the Planning Board or its designee, and the security released prior to the issuance of occupancy permits for the lots served by the common driveway.

Common driveways permitted under this Subsection I shall be limited to single- and two-family dwellings.

Maximum permitted sound-pressure levels.

Measurements to determine compliance with these standards shall be provided by the applicant upon request by the Building Inspector. Such measurements may be made by any public or private agency, firm, or person competent to perform such activity. All measurements shall be obtained through the utilization of procedures and equipment approved by the Town of Adams, and measurements shall be taken at property lines of subject property and at adjoining properties as directed by the Town of Adams. This Subsection D shall not apply to the operation of farm machinery accessory to agricultural uses.

No signs that advertise a nationally or regionally advertised product shall be allowed, except that a franchised dealer may display the trademark of his product on his sign, and a gasoline station may display the trademark of that particular gasoline company on said sign. Endorsements or approvals may also be displayed as part of a single sign.

Standing signs are prohibited except as they may be authorized in particular instances by the Zoning Board of Appeals when it determines that the nature of use of the premises, the architecture of the building, or its location with reference to the street is such that a sign should be permitted in the public interest. In granting such permission, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall specify the size, height, type and location of the sign and impose such other terms, restrictions and conditions as it may deem to be in the public interest. The maximum size that can be authorized shall be 32 square feet.

The most restrictive case of sign allowance shall always apply in the application of this section.

All signs shall be prepared in a professional manner.

Signs shall be illuminated only by steady, stationary, shielded light directed solely at the sign, without causing glare for motorists, pedestrians or neighboring residential premises.

Except for indicators of time and temperature, no sign or part of any sign shall flash, move or make noise.

Neon signs shall be allowed within windows up to 10% of the total window area, not to exceed a total of six square feet.

Exterior neon signage shall be allowed on special permit, shall not exceed the guidelines of Subsection F(1) to (4) and shall not advertise a nationally or regionally advertised product or service.

Signs shall not be painted or posted directly on the exterior surface of any wall but rather shall be affixed to a substantial intermediary removable surface securely affixed to the building.

No sign shall protrude over public property more than three feet.

No signs or flags shall be placed within or projecting over a public way or on public property unless authorized by the Board of Selectmen as required by MGL c. 85, § 8. No signs shall be placed on shade trees without approval of the Tree Warden as required by MGL c. 87, § 9.

Temporary signs listed below shall be allowed for up to 12 months in any district without necessity of a permit:

(Reserved)[1]

Temporary signs, posters, banners or the like for the opening of a new business shall be permitted within the limits prescribed for permanent signs. All such signs shall be identified on a permit from the Building Inspector. Such devices shall be removed within 60 days of the opening of said business.

One sign for each family residing on the premises indicating the owner or occupant or pertaining to a permitted accessory use shall be permitted, provided that no sign shall exceed two square feet in area.

One sign pertaining to permitted buildings and uses of the premises other than dwellings and their accessory uses shall be permitted, not to exceed 5% of the area of the wall it is viewed with and in no case more than six square feet.

Illumination of signs in residential districts shall be by white light and indirect method only.

Signs attached to a building shall be permitted provided that they aggregate not more than 5% of the wall area they are viewed with, subject to the guidelines in Subsection F(4).

There shall be not more than one exterior sign for each business establishment, except that if there is more than one public entrance to any such business establishment, there may be one additional secondary sign for each such additional entrance, provided that the aggregate area of all such secondary signs shall not exceed 50% of the maximum permissible area authorized and further provided that not more than one secondary sign per building face shall be allowed, that any secondary signs shall be at least 30 feet from each other, and that such secondary signs shall be located at such entrances.

In addition to the foregoing sign or signs, one directory of the business establishments occupying a building may be affixed to the exterior wall of the building at each public entrance to the building. Such directory shall not exceed an area of one square foot for each establishment occupying the building.

Signs located on business property, or limited industrial property, shall be according to the following guidelines:

Each business establishment may display one flag indicating “Open,” “Welcome,” other greeting, or the business logo but shall not advertise a nationally or regionally advertised product or service. Maximum size that can be allowed shall be 16 square feet. Flags shall not be considered as standing signs.

No sign, except those specifically exempted by this chapter, shall be erected without a permit issued by the Building Inspector, application for which shall be accompanied by such scale drawings or photographs as the Building Inspector may require.

Legally nonconforming signs, except those regulated by MGL c. 93, § 29, shall be governed by § 125-7C, Nonconformancy.

All signs, whether erected before or after the effective date of this chapter, shall be maintained in a safe condition to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector.

Any sign which has been abandoned or advertises any product, business or activity which is no longer sold or carried on for at least 60 days must be removed within 30 days by the owner of the premises after notice to that effect from the Building Inspector.

On at least three sides of the perimeter of an outdoor parking lot for 10 or more cars, a screening scheme shall be installed. The scheme could include a combination of vegetative plantings and fencing or strictly vegetative plantings, evergreen or deciduous in nature, to be determined through site plan review. In performing a site plan review, the Planning Board may authorize alternatives to these specifications, taking into consideration existing vegetation, topography, soils, and other site conditions, provided that appropriate screening, shading and articulation are achieved. In the interior part of an outdoor parking lot where two rows of parking spaces containing a total of 10 or more parking spaces face each other, a landscaped open space separated from the parking area by a suitable curb with at least four inches vertical and not less than six feet in width shall be provided. The landscaped strip may be provided either between the rows of parking spaces parallel to the aisle or in two or more strips parallel to the spaces and extending from the aisle serving one row of spaces to the aisle serving the other row of spaces and shall contain at least one tree per 30 linear feet.

Trees required by this section shall be canopy-forming deciduous trees at least 2.5 inches in diameter at a height four feet above the ground at time of planting and shall be of a species characterized by suitability and hardiness for location in a parking lot. To the extent practicable, existing trees shall be retained and used to satisfy this section.

Requirements.

Special permits required.

All parking areas for five or more cars, all outdoor sales display areas, all mobile home parks, all business uses and industrial uses (see the Use Regulation Schedule), all contractors' yards, open storage and loading service yards and all commercial outdoor recreation shall be screened from any adjacent residential use or district in accordance with the following schedule:

Such greenbelt shall consist of three staggered rows, each row eight feet apart, of substantially sight-impervious evergreen foliage at least eight feet in height or planting of shrubs and trees complemented by a sight-impervious fence of at least six feet but not more then eight feet in height or such other type of landscaping as may be required under site plan approval. In all developments, to the extent practicable, existing trees shall be retained and used to satisfy the provisions of the minimum lot landscaping.

Such barriers shall consist of at least sight-impervious fence satisfying the requirements of all greenbelt fence and may be supplemented by additional plantings as required under site plan approval.

Buffers shall be for the sole purpose of accommodating the screening and other landscaping as may be required and shall not be used for any other purpose.

Standard satellite television and radio antennas are permitted in all zoning districts unless the installed device is higher than 15 feet, in which case the installation requires a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

No satellite television and/or antenna shall be placed in any required accessory yard. Relief from this requirement will require a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

All satellite television and/or radio antennas shall be screened from view by plantings, shrubs, trees or other suitable means insofar as possible without interfering with reception of satellite signals and shall not be illuminated in any way.

Agricultural uses, such as farming, grazing, truck farming and horticulture.

Forestry and nursery uses.

Outdoor recreational uses, including fishing, boating, play area, etc.

Conservation of water, plants and wildlife.

Wildlife management areas and foot, bicycle and horse paths.

Temporary nonresidential structures used in connection with fishing, growing, harvesting, storage, or sale of crops raised on the premises.

Buildings lawfully existing prior to the adoption of these provisions.

No structure or building shall be erected, constructed, substantially improved, or otherwise created or moved, and no earth or other materials shall be dumped, filled, excavated, or transferred, unless a special permit is granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Within 10 days of receipt of an application for a special permit, the Board shall transmit one copy of the development plan to the Conservation Commission, Board of Health, and Building Inspector. Final action shall not be taken until reports have been received from the above boards or until 35 days after the transmittal of the development plan to the boards, whichever occurs first.

The Zoning Board of Appeals may issue a special permit if the application complies with the following provisions:

The Zoning Board of Appeals may specify such additional requirements and conditions as it finds necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

The proposal is designed so as to minimize the risk of damage due to flooding.

All public utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical, and water systems, are located and constructed so as to minimize or eliminate the risk damage due to flooding.

Adequate drainage systems are provided in order to reduce exposure to flood hazards.

Base flood elevation data (the level of the one-hundred-year flood) is provided for all proposals for development within the Floodplain District.

New and replacement water supply systems be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the systems; and

New and replacement sanitary sewage systems be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the systems and discharges from the systems into floodwaters.

To notify, in riverine situations, adjacent communities and the Massachusetts Division of Water Resources, the state coordinating agency, prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse where an order of conditions has been issued and submit copies of such notification to the Federal Insurance Administration.

To assure that the flood capacity within the altered or relocated portion of any watercourse is maintained.

Within Zone A1-30, all mobile homes shall provide that: [1]

The placement of mobile homes, except in an existing mobile home park or mobile home subdivision, is prohibited in the floodway.

In A zones, in the absence of FIA base flood elevation data, other available data shall be considered as a basis for elevating residential structures to or above base flood level and floodproofing or elevating nonresidential structures to or above base flood level.

In the regulatory floodway, any encroachment which would cause any increase in the base flood level is prohibited.

The project involves the use of an existing building and no exterior changes, other than signage, standard exterior building illumination (exits included) and trash containers (which are screened from adjacent properties and street), and no site elements which mitigate negative impacts are proposed for elimination; and

The proposed use is permitted as a matter of right pursuant to the Use Regulation Schedule[1] of this chapter.

All property boundaries and the use and ownership of abutting land and the location and use of any building thereon of the subject property.

All existing and proposed buildings, structures, parking spaces, driveway openings, loading areas and service areas on the subject property.

Provisions for screening, surfacing, lighting, landscaping (including fences, wall, planting area and walks) and signs.

Provisions for waste disposal, drainage, dust, erosion control and other utilities.

Protection of adjoining premises and the general neighborhood from any detrimental impact resulting from the use of the subject property, including but not limited to the creation of a nuisance by virtue of noise, odor, unsightliness, signs or vibration.

Convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site and in relation to adjacent streets, properties or improvements.

Adequacy of the methods of disposal for sewage, refuse, and other wastes and of the methods of drainage of surface water.

Provisions for off-street loading and unloading of vehicles incidental to the servicing of the buildings and related uses on the subject property.

Projects involving in excess of five acres or 10,000 square feet of building shall require an environmental impact report and performance bond (amount of bond to be determined by the Planning Board) unless waived by the Board.

A site plan subject to this section shall be submitted in duplicate to the Town Clerk, who shall give the applicant a dated receipt. The Town Clerk, within three days of receiving such a site plan, shall transmit one copy to the Building Inspector for his review. The Building Inspector shall, within five working days, report his findings and recommendations in writing to the Town Clerk. If the Building Inspector finds that the plan does not show the information specified in Subsection B above, he shall notify the Town Clerk in writing, who shall return the plan to the applicant with a copy of the Building Inspector's report. If the plan does comply, or if the Building Inspector fails to respond within five days, the Planning Board shall conduct a public hearing within 65 days of the receipt of the plan by the Town Clerk. The Community Development Department shall submit recommendations to the Board prior to the hearing, and if the proposed project must be authorized by a special permit or special permits, the special permit granting authority shall hold a hearing to act on the permit prior to the Planning Board's hearing. The Planning Board may, in approving such a plan, establish a time period within which the approval so granted shall be exercised. Such time period shall not exceed two years. The applicant shall be notified by the Town Clerk of a plan meeting the requirements of this section and of the actions taken or approval will be assumed and the Town Clerk shall issue a certification to that effect.

No building permit shall be issued for any building or structure or use of land for which site plan approval is required unless approval thereof shall have been obtained in compliance with the above.

The Planning Board may adopt from time to time such additional procedures, criteria, forms, etc., as it may deem appropriate to administer this section.

Restaurants.

Recreation, including golf courses, ski areas and tows and parks, including amusement parks, schools, including nursery and kindergarten schools, and dance and music studios.

Veterinary hospitals, stables and kennels, commercial raising or breeding animals for sale, poultry farms and boarding animals.

Cemeteries, hospitals, sanitariums or other medical institutions, including nonprofit research laboratories, nursing homes, or charitable institutions.

Telephone exchange buildings, radio stations, or other utility structures.

Buildings to house generators, boilers, and similar equipment used in connection with greenhouses and farms.

Research laboratories.

Office buildings.

Multifamily dwellings.

Tourist homes and boarding or rooming houses, hotels and motels.

Membership clubs.

Retail store or service establishment.

Gasoline service stations, garages and repair shops.

Passenger depots and terminals.

Theater halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, clubs and other places of amusement or assembly.

Manufacturing enterprises.

Contractors' storage, warehouses and buildings and wholesale distribution plants.

Printing and publishing establishments, photographic studios, and medical or dental laboratories.

Storage tanks or yards either above or below ground.

Construction of man-made body of water or alteration of any body of water or diversion of any stream that is running.

Underground tanks or direct burial tank of any fluid substance.

Signs when principal uses or accessory to uses listed in this section.

Uses accessory to principal uses listed in this section.