Ayer City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 6
Density and Dimensional Regulations
§ 320-6.1 General provisions. [1]
[Amended 6-10-2019 STM by Art. 2]
In each district, no land shall hereafter be used, occupied or changed and no structure or building shall hereafter be erected, altered, moved or used or occupied unless it complies with the provisions as set forth in the Schedule of Dimensional Requirements herein, except within the Downtown Ayer/Park Street Form-Based Code District wherein the applicable building development standards as per the Regulating Plan shall be applicable, and except as provided in MGL c. 40A, § 6 for nonconforming circumstances. Variations and exceptions from these minimum requirements shall be as set forth in the Notes to the Schedule of Dimensional Requirements and as specifically provided elsewhere in this bylaw.
[1]
Editor's Note: See the Schedule of Dimensional Requirements included as an attachment to this chapter.
§ 320-6.2 Schedule of Dimensional Requirements.
See Appendix B of this bylaw.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix B is included as an attachment to this chapter.
§ 320-6.3 Additional requirements.
A.
Average front setback. With the exception of the Downtown Ayer/Park Street FBC District, in any district, no building need be located or placed further from the exterior line of any street or public way than the average distance from such street or way line of the principal buildings located on the lots adjacent thereto on either side. In determining such average, a vacant side lot having a frontage of 50 feet or more shall be considered as though occupied by a building having the required setback, and a lot separated from the lot in question only by a vacant lot having frontage of less than 50 feet shall be deemed an adjacent lot.
[Amended 6-10-2019 STM by Art. 2]
B.
Multiple buildings on a lot.
(1)
Every building shall have frontage on a way, public or private, except that with Planning Board approval it may use a clear unobstructed passageway at least 20 feet wide over the lot on which it is located, to said way. Except in the Health Care Services District, if a building is located in the rear of another building located on the same lot, it shall meet the side and rear yard requirements of the district in which it is located and the open space between such buildings shall be at least 50% greater than the rear yard requirement for the district.
(2)
In the Health Care Services District:
(a)
The minimum lot frontage and yard requirements are to apply to the perimeter of Health Care Services District unless the owner elects to divide or subdivide land pursuant to the Subdivision Control Law. Following any such division or subdivision, such minimum lot frontage and yard requirements shall apply to all property lines created thereby.
(b)
The minimum lot area, maximum building coverage percentage, maximum floor area ratio and minimum open space percentage are to apply to the entire district only in the aggregate, regardless of whether or not any such division or subdivision occurs from time to time.
C.
Corner lots. On a corner lot, the yard fronting on each street shall meet the minimum front yard requirement of the applicable district.
D.
Cornices and eaves. Nothing herein shall prevent the projection of cornices or eaves not exceeding 18 inches in width, or of uncovered steps, unroofed porches, or window sills into a required minimum yard or other open space.
E.
Maintenance of minimum required dimensions. Lots on which buildings are located shall not be reduced or changed in size or shape so the building or lot fails to comply with the minimum lot area, frontage, setback or yard provisions of this bylaw, except when a portion of a lot is taken or conveyed for a public purpose. Yards, courts, or other open space required for a building shall not, during the life of such building, be occupied or counted as an open space for another building.
F.
Division of developed lots. Any lot on which more than one house existed at the time of the adoption of this bylaw may be divided and sold to separate owners and used as follows: For each foot that such lot is less than 75 feet wide, one foot may be deducted from the sum of the width of the required two side yards, provided that the buildable width need not be reduced to less than 30 feet, and further provided that no side yard shall be less than six feet.
G.
Location of accessory structures.
(1)
The minimum yard requirements for principal structures shall apply to accessory structures, both detached or attached to the principal structure, when used for human occupancy.
(2)
A detached accessory structure of one story shall not be closer to the principal structure than 10 feet. A detached accessory structure of two stories or more shall not be closer to the principal structure than 15 feet. No accessory structure shall be closer to the front lot line than the front building line of the principal building on the lot, with the exception of the Downtown Ayer/Park Street FBC District wherein accessory buildings shall be subject to the lot layer requirements; see T.6, Section 10.4.12, D. Accessory; T.5, Section 10.4.16, D. Accessory; and T.5.1, Section 10.4.19, D. Accessory.
[Amended 6-10-2019 STM by Art. 2]
(3)
Accessory structure or structures shall not occupy more than 25% of the required rear or side yard areas.
(4)
Accessory structures shall be no closer than five feet to any side or rear lot line.
H.
Minimum floor area, dwelling units. All dwelling units except single-family houses shall provide a minimum habitable floor area as follows:
I.
Corner clearance. Between the property lines of intersecting streets and a line joining points on such lines 20 feet distant from their point of intersection (or in the case of a rounded corner, the point of intersection of their tangents), there shall be no structure or vegetation except shade trees between two feet and eight feet above the plane through their curb grades.
J.
Special requirements for gasoline stations. Notwithstanding other provisions of this bylaw, any gasoline station to be constructed or established must conform to the following minimum requirements as to setback, side lines, building size, pump island area, and entrance to and egress from the street or way on which said station is situated.
(1)
Yard, front: 75 feet.
(2)
Pump setback from street line or public way: 35 feet.
(3)
Setback of building from nearest pump island: 40 feet.
(4)
Space between pump islands if more than one island: 30 feet.
(5)
Minimum means of entrance and egress from way (one entrance and one egress): two.
(6)
Minimum distance from corner (intersection of extended street lines) to entrance and egress curb cuts: 50 feet.
(7)
Minimum frontage: 100 feet.
(8)
Minimum size of gasoline station building: 1,200 square feet.
(9)
Minimum size of gasoline station building: 750 square feet.
(10)
Dimension of rear yard: 30 feet.
(11)
Minimum side of building: 30 feet.
(12)
Minimum width per curb cut: 25 feet.