Facilitate the development of an appropriate mix of uses within the context of a traditional pedestrian-oriented development pattern;

Create a safe, accessible, convenient, attractive and highly functional environment that meets the needs of local residents and visitors as a place to live, work, recreate, socialize, and obtain necessary goods and services;

Coordinate the safe circulation and access of private vehicles, public transit, bicycles, and pedestrians through a network of streets, sidewalks and paths connecting neighborhoods, employment centers, open spaces, and areas of activity within the VCOD;

Protect and expand opportunities for small locally owned businesses and other entrepreneurial activity that primarily but not exclusively serves local neighborhoods and surrounding community; and

Encourage flexibility and variety in future development while ensuring preservation of and compatibility with historic fabric.

General application. The Village Center Overlay District (VCOD) is hereby established as an overlay district and is applicable to the CV, CC, CD, RC, RB and P Zoning Districts as identified within the VCOD on the Official Zoning Map. Projects are allowed within the VCOD that would not otherwise be allowed in the underlying zoning district, and as such VCOD projects must satisfy the standards defined in this article and may be permitted by right or by special permit, with restrictions and conditions, when certain thresholds are met as defined below.

Relationship with the Community Enhancement and Investment Overlay District (CEIOD). Properties located within the VCOD are not eligible for permitting within the CEIOD, Article XXI.

Relationship with other zoning provisions. Unless specifically modified by the requirements for the VCOD, all other zoning provisions of the Chelmsford Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 195, shall remain in full force and effect and shall neither be modified, repealed nor amended by this article. This includes, but is not limited to, Article XI, Major Business Complexes; Article XIII, Wireless Communications Facilities; Article XIV, Aquifer Protection District; and Article XV, Floodplain District. Where the VCOD provisions are silent on a zoning rule or regulation, the requirements of the underlying district shall apply, unless another interpretation was clearly intended. See § 195-130 for procedural requirements.

Residential projects or four or more units, including increasing an existing project by four or more residential units, or a conversion of other uses to a residential use with four or more units, are subject to the requirements of Article XXIII, Inclusionary Housing Bylaw, as applicable.

Table of uses. The existing Use Regulation Schedule (Chapter 195, Attachment 1) of the Chelmsford Zoning Bylaw shall be applicable to VCOD projects within the underlying zoning districts. Where a VCOD project requires a special permit under the Use Regulation Schedule, the Planning Board shall be the special permit granting authority.

VCOD projects allowed by right. A project will be allowed by right with an approved site plan if it meets all of the following criteria (as applicable):

VCOD projects requiring a special permit. A project requires a special permit with an approved site plan if it meets any of the following criteria (as applicable):

Residential dwelling unit performance standards. Within the VCOD, residential housing is permitted per Tables 1 and 2.[1] All dwelling units shall comply with the following minimum net floor area requirements, measured as living area, unless the Planning Board authorizes a reduction by special permit.

Frontage zones and ground floor limitations. The VCOD map includes frontage zones which are the contiguous land area along the primary public streets within the underlying CV district. Buildings fronting and oriented toward these streets are targeted for commercial and mixed commercial/residential use. These properties shall have a ground floor limitation (See diagram below.) allowing only commercial uses permitted by right or special permit to occupy the ground floor area. Residential uses shall not occupy the ground floor of a building in the portion of said building within the first 40 feet of lot depth measured from the public street right-of-way. Residential and other uses allowed in the underlying zoning district may be located in the upper floors within the frontage zone and at ground level at more than 40 feet in lot depth and outside the frontage zone. Street entrances may be allowed to residential uses above the ground floor within the frontage zone or at the side or rear of the building beyond the frontage zone.

Property fronting on Beaver Brook. In accordance with the Center Village Master Plan Report, dated December 3, 2013, public access to Beaver Brook is deemed a public interest and a high priority. As such, properties with frontage on Beaver Brook shall be required to set back all new buildings and parking a minimum of 35 feet from the top of the bank, as defined in the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act[2] and its regulations. In exchange for providing a public benefit the applicant shall receive a benefit of a residential unit and/or commercial square-foot build-out bonus, beyond the by-right and special permit project thresholds in § 195-124B and C as applicable, may be granted by the Planning Board under the following conditions:

Bruce Freeman Trail frontage. All new development or redevelopment on properties abutting the Bruce Freeman Trail shall provide direct access to the trail for those using the property. If a public easement and clear passage is granted to the Town a width of eight feet from the public street right-of-way to the Bruce Freeman Trail right-of-way, a density bonus of 10% for all commercial and residential development allowed by right or special permit in the VCOD may be granted by the Planning Board. The Planning Board may also waive any of the above requirements.

Permitted building and lot types. These standards primarily regulate the way that buildings in the VCOD are placed and oriented on their lots to positively address and complement other buildings as well as streets and civic spaces. There are seven permitted building and lot types as identified below:

Building and lot requirements terminology. Table 2 contains a range of building and lot dimensions and design requirements, some of which are not included on the Table of Dimensional Requirements (Chapter 195, Attachment 2) which are defined below:

Use of yards and setbacks. Active uses of setback areas in the VCOD shall be permitted for pedestrian access, outdoor accessory uses, or to facilitate access to rear of the lot for parking and loading. Site plans shall demonstrate that the setback area accomplishes these objectives and creates an inviting environment for pedestrians.

Permitted building element encroachments.

Additional building and lot types. Additional building and lot types are not permitted except by special permit from the Planning Board and where consistent with the VCOD special permit criteria in § 195-131.

Applicability. The existing parking standards in Article V shall remain applicable unless otherwise indicated below.

Parking placement. The location of parking shall be consistent with the following requirements:

Minimum off-street parking requirements. Within the underlying Center Village Zoning District, required parking shall be reduced by 20% per § 195-98.3A. A special permit may be granted by the Planning Board for a total reduction not to exceed 50%. All other parking within the VCOD shall comply with the standards and requirements of this bylaw and Article V except for the following exceptions:

Curb cut access and management.

General on-site landscaping buffer requirements. Where building and/or parking is not approved with a zero-foot setback, as applicable:

Transitional buffers. The following transitional buffer requirements apply along a perimeter lot line of the VCOD that abuts a residential zoning district. These requirements may be waived and/or or reduced by the Planning Board.

Building and site design standards: Sections 3.0 to 4.4, 4.6 and 5.0 and 6.0 as applicable.

Lighting. Outdoor site lighting shall primarily be used to provide safety and secondarily to accent key building and landscape features. Light fixtures shall be designed as an integral element of site design and may be expressed through style, material or color. All lighting fixtures designed or placed to illuminate any portion of a VCOD project shall meet the requirements of the Chelmsford Design Guidelines and Standards Section 4.5.

Signage. Within the VCOD, signage shall comply with the standards in Article VII and Section 4.7 of the Design Guidelines. The Planning Board may issue a special permit in relief of standards in Article VII.

Building systems: Section 4.8.

Fences and walls. Walls and fences located outside of a required buffer must be closed and be constructed of high quality materials, including one or a combination of the following: wood, composite fencing; wrought iron, PVC vinyl; or other material approved by the Planning Board.

Utilities and services. Existing aboveground utility lines and poles shall be buried underground, or moved behind buildings where practical. All new electrical and communication utilities in VCOD projects shall be placed underground.

Intent. The intent of these standards is to provide for a combination of viable public and private open spaces and civic gathering areas that benefit the community and enhance the pedestrian experience in Chelmsford's Village Centers. Public and private civic spaces are meant to be spaces available for the use of the property's residents or customers.

Civic and open space types. Specific public and private open space types are allowed within the VCOD as identified in Section 7 of the Chelmsford Design Guidelines and Standards, and are intended for the gathering of people for passive or active recreation, entertainment, and organized communal activities.

Open space requirements. Individual property owners shall utilize a minimum of 5% of their lot to civic or open space in one of the types identified in Section 7 of the Chelmsford Design Guidelines and Standards. Two or more property owners within the VCOD may create a joint civic or open space as long as the dedicated space is accessible to the public and amounts to a minimum of 5% of the land area of all the properties involved.

General requirements. The application and development review requirements of Article XXI, Community Enhancement and Investment Overlay District (CEIOD), § 195-119, shall apply to the VCOD.

Alternative compliance. In order to encourage creativity, diversity, and best practices for public and private design and development in the VCOD, the Planning Board may waive, modify or vary standards for building and lot types, parking, landscaping, and open and civic space types as set forth in this bylaw. The granting of any alternative compliance waiver shall be based upon a finding by the Planning Board that the proposed alternative will be generally consistent with the purpose and intent statements in § 195-121 of this bylaw, as well as the general and supplemental special permit criteria in § 195-131 below.