North Reading City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXVIII
Lowell Road Multi-Family Zoning Overlay District.
[Added 6-9-2025 ATM by Art. 1, approved 9-22-2025]
§ 200-172 Purpose.
The purpose of the Lowell Road Multi-Family Overlay District is to provide opportunities for the development of new multi-family housing by right, in the interest of providing a variety of needed housing types; and to fully comply with the Town's obligations under Section 3A of MGL c. 40A.
§ 200-173 Applicability.
This bylaw applies to any property to be placed within the Lowell Road Multi-Family Overlay District which shall include the following parcels that are listed below and are shown on the Lowell Road Multi-Family Overlay District Map on file in the Community Planning Department. The Lowell Road Multi-Family Overlay District is herein established as an overlay district.
Area (acres) | Map and Parcel | Street Number | Street Name |
|---|---|---|---|
34.21 | Map 7 Parcel 2 | 104 | Lowell Road |
47.87 | Map 14 Parcel 9 | 100 | Lowell Road |
§ 200-174 Effect of overlay district.
The Lowell Road Multi-Family Overlay District regulations of this article apply in addition to the underlying zoning district regulations. In case of conflict between the regulations of this article and other regulations in this bylaw, the regulations of this article shall control, whether more or less restrictive. Where no Lowell Road Multi-Family Overlay District regulation is stated in this article, the regulations of the underlying zoning district and all other applicable provisions of this bylaw shall apply.
§ 200-175 Use regulations.
The following use shall be permitted as of right in the Lowell Road Multi-Family Overlay District: "Multi-family housing", a building with three or more residential dwelling units or two or more buildings on the same lot with more than one residential dwelling unit in each building. Age-restricted 55+ housing is expressly allowed by right.
§ 200-176 Dimensional and density regulations.
A.
The dimensional and density regulations of the underlying zoning district are to be adhered to within the Lowell Road Multi-Family Overlay District, with the exception that the maximum number of stories allowed is four and one-half (4 1/2).
B.
Multiple buildings are allowed on one lot. The minimum separation between buildings shall be two times the required side yard setback.
C.
At no time may the District contain more than 908 units of housing.
§ 200-177 Parking requirements.
A.
The minimum required off-street parking shall be two spaces per dwelling unit.
B.
The required parking spaces may be located in an accessory garage, in a dedicated parking area on the lot, or stacked within the driveway serving the development. When the parking spaces are located outside, the area used for parking shall be graded and drained so as to prevent surface water accumulation within the parking area and to prevent surface water runoff to an adjoining property or the public way.
C.
Dimensions of outdoor parking spaces shall be a minimum of 10 feet by 20 feet. Dimensions of indoor parking garage spaces shall be a minimum of nine feet by 18 feet.
D.
No off-street parking space shall be located within the minimum front yard setback.
E.
There shall be a landscaped buffer of not less than four feet between any driveway and the nearest side lot line, and no paved surface areas and no off-street parking shall be permitted within the buffer zone.
§ 200-178 Affordability requirements.
One unit for each 10 residential units in all new development projects that include 10 or more residential units created through new construction or addition to existing buildings must be affordable units. Developers of such projects are required to provide affordable units on-site. Affordable units must be affordable to a low- or moderate-income household, i.e., a household with income at or below 80% of area median income (AMI), adjusted for household size, for the metropolitan area that includes the Town of North Reading, as determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Affordable units shall meet the requirements of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) Local Initiative Program (LIP) for inclusion on the Chapter 408 Subsidized Housing Inventory.
§ 200-179 Severability.
In the event that one or more of the provisions of this article are determined to be illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the illegality or unenforceability of any such provision shall not affect the validity of any other provision of this article which remains in full force and effect.
