Boxford City Zoning Code
ARTICLE IV
New Construction and New Uses
§ 196-10 Conformity with bylaw required; prohibited uses.
Any and every new use and any and every new building, structure and premises shall be used for or occupied, and every building or structure shall be erected, constructed, established, altered, repaired, enlarged or moved exclusively and only with conformity with the requirements, character and conditions laid down for each of the several districts established by this bylaw. Any use not specifically listed herein or otherwise permitted in a district shall be deemed as prohibited.
§ 196-11 Authority of Board of Appeals to decide on special permits and variances.
The Board of Appeals, as provided in Article X below, is authorized to decide on special permits and variances from these requirements which will not be contrary to the general intent of this bylaw or to the public interest.
§ 196-12 Flood hazard areas.
[Added 5-22-1991 ATM, Art. 43]
A.
No new construction or substantial improvement of an existing structure for residential, agricultural, business, manufacturing, industrial or elderly housing use shall be allowed in the designated special flood hazard areas as delineated on the Flood Insurance Rate Map as provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency dated June 3, 1991, and as may be amended from time to time.
B.
"Substantial improvement" means any repair, reconstruction or improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure either before the improvement or repairs is started, or if the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred. For the purposes of this definition, substantial improvement is considered to occur when the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor or other structural part of the building commences, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the structure.