Methuen City Zoning Code
ARTICLE III
Establishment of Districts
§ 3.1 Purpose and intent.
The intent of this article is to provide for the division of the City of Methuen into districts of such number, shape and area as best suited to carry out the purpose of this ordinance, and to provide guidelines for the interpretation of the location of the district boundary line indicated upon the Zoning Map.
§ 3.2 District designations.
[Amended by Ord. No. 569; 11-28-2017 by Ord. No. 924]
A.
For the purpose of this ordinance, the City of Methuen is hereby divided into the following classes of districts:
Full Name and Class | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
CN Conservancy | CN |
RR Rural Residential | RR (formerly Agricultural Conservation) |
RA Single Residence | RA |
RB Single Residence | RB |
RC Single Residence | RC |
RD Single Residence | RD |
RG Single Residence | RG |
MA Multifamily Residence A | MA |
MB Multifamily Residence B | MB |
BN Neighborhood Business District | BN |
CBD Central Business District | CBD |
BH Highway Business District | BH |
BL Limited Business District | BL |
IL Limited Business District | IL |
H Hospital District | H |
MCSGOD Methuen Center Smart Growth Overlay District | MCSGOD |
B.
In addition, the Floodplain District shall overlay the above districts under certain conditions.
§ 3.3 Description of districts.
[Amended by Ord. No. 569]
A.
CN Conservancy District. The Conservancy District is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. This district is intended to serve a dual purpose. It is Methuen's intent to adhere to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts policy of preserving agricultural land. All existing agricultural land is therefore designated CN when its designation is in keeping with Methuen's long-range plans. The CN District is also intended as a public use district in which the predominant purposes for the land are for recreational, educational, institutional and municipal uses. The district is also intended to preserve and increase the amenities of the City; to provide a specially suitable setting for public and quasi-public buildings and structures; to restrict residential uses of the land; to prohibit commercial, industrial and other uses of the land which would diminish its value in providing the foregoing setting of said buildings and in serving the conservational, educational and recreational needs of Methuen. In addition, the district is specifically intended for the preservation and maintenance of the groundwater table; for the protection of persons and property against the hazards of floodwater inundation; for the protection of the community against the costs which may be incurred when unsuitable development occurs in swamps, along watercourses or in areas subject to floods (as indicated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps); and for the conservation of natural conditions, wildlife and open spaces for the education, recreation and general welfare of the public.
B.
RR Rural Residential. The RR District has the lowest residential density of all districts and is generally served by local streets only. Intensive land uses, uses that would detract from the desired agricultural/open nature of the district and uses that would otherwise interfere with the intent of this ordinance are not permitted.
C.
RA Single Family Residence District. The Single Family Residence District RA is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map and like the RR District is generally served by local streets only.
D.
RB Single Family Residence Districts. The Single Family Residence District RB is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map and is served by collector and local streets.
E.
RC Single Family Residence District. The Single Family Residence District RC is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. Such areas are generally served by minor arteries, collectors and local streets.
F.
RD Single Family Residence District. The Single Family Residence District RD is composed of developed lots approximately 10,000 square feet in size.
G.
RG General Residence District. The General Residence District RG is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map, and like the preceding districts is generally served by local streets and collectors. The predominant land uses are intended to be single- and two-family homes. Any other uses that would otherwise interfere with the intent of this ordinance are discouraged.
H.
MA Multifamily Residence A. The Multifamily Residence A District is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. Single- and two-family dwellings are allowed in this district; attached dwellings, multifamily and planned unit developments are allowed by special permit.
I.
MB Multifamily Residence B. The Multifamily Residence B District is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. Single-family and two-family dwellings are allowed in this district. Attached dwellings, multifamily and planned unit development are allowed by special permit. This district is primarily established to accommodate the urbanized areas of Methuen.
J.
BN Neighborhood Business District. The Neighborhood Business District is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. Predominant uses include small retail and service establishments serving the needs of adjacent neighborhoods and oriented to pedestrian traffic. Uses which would detract from this small-scale business character, or otherwise interfere with the intent of the ordinance, are prohibited.
K.
CBD Central Business District. The Central Business District is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. It includes retail, service, office and residential uses. It is the intent of this ordinance that the CBD be a place of diversity and a mixture of uses, provided public health and safety are protected.
L.
BH Highway Business District. The Highway Business District is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. Uses include retail, wholesale, office and service uses.
M.
BL Limited Business District. The Limited Business District is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. It is established primarily to accommodate uses such as offices, smaller-scale retail and general business, research and development laboratories and light assembly. Attached dwellings, multifamily developments and planned unit developments (PUDs) are also allowed by a special permit.
N.
IL Limited Industrial District. The Limited Industrial District is composed of all those areas so designated on the Official Zoning Map. It is intended to accommodate light industrial uses. Residential uses are prohibited and retail uses are permitted by special permit only.
O.
H Hospital District. The intent and purpose of the Hospital District is to allow, by right or by special permit, those uses that would serve a hospital.
P.
Floodplain District.
(1)
Statement of purpose. The purposes of the Floodplain District are to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, to protect human life and property from the hazards of periodic flooding and to preserve the natural flood control characteristics and the flood storage capacity of the floodplain.
(2)
Floodplain District boundaries and base flood elevation data. The Floodplain District is herein established as an overlay district. The district includes all special flood hazard areas designated on the Methuen Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) issued by FEMA (successor to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD) for the administration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) dated June 18, 1987, and as may be amended from time to time, as Zones A, AE, AH, AO, A1-A30, A99 and the Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Boundary and Floodway Map dated June 18, 1987. Both maps indicate the 100-year regulatory floodplain. The exact boundaries of the district may be defined by the 100-year base flood elevations shown on the FIRM and further defined by the Flood Insurance Study booklet dated June 18, 1987. The FHBM or FIRM and Floodway Maps and Flood Insurance Study booklet are on file with the City Clerk, Community Development Board, Building Commissioner and Conservation Commission.
§ 3.4 Official Zoning Map.
The zoning districts described heretofore in § 3.3, as detailed on a set of Assessors' maps entitled "Official Zoning Map of the City of Methuen", with all boundary lines designated thereon, shall hereby be part of this ordinance, and said Zoning Map shall be on file in the office of the City Clerk.
§ 3.5 Changes to Zoning Map.
Any change in location of boundaries of a zoning district hereafter made through the amendment of this ordinance shall be indicated by the alteration of such map; and the map, thus altered, is declared to be a part of this ordinance thus amended.
§ 3.6 Interpretation of district boundaries.
The following guidelines shall apply where any uncertainty exists with respect to the boundary of any district as delineated on the Zoning Map:
A.
Where district boundaries apparently follow property lines, they shall be so interpreted.
B.
Where a boundary is indicated upon a street or similar feature such as a highway, railroad right-of-way, electric transmission, easement or a watercourse, the center line of said feature shall be interpreted as the district boundary.
C.
Where a boundary is indicated as approximately parallel to a street or similar feature, it shall be taken as parallel thereto.
D.
When any uncertainty exists as to the exact location of a boundary, its location shall be determined by the Building Commissioner; provided, however, that any person aggrieved by this decision may appeal to the Board of Appeals.
§ 3.7 Lots in two districts.
A.
Where a district boundary divides an existing lot and the major portion of said lot is in the less restricted district, the regulations relating to the latter district may extend as well to such portion of said lot as is not more than 20 feet within the more restricted district.
B.
The order of restrictiveness shall follow that given in § 3.3, the most restrictive district being CN and the least restrictive being IL.
§ 3.8 Lot split by City line.
When a lot, in one ownership, is situated only in part in the City of Methuen, this ordinance shall be applied to Methuen's portion of the lot in the same manner as if the entire lot were situated therein.