Norwood City Zoning Code
SECTION 6
General Regulations
§ 6.1 Off-street Parking and Loading Requirements.
6.1.1.
Applicability. Off-street parking must be provided to service all increases in parking demand resulting from new construction, additions, or change of use to a use requiring more parking, without counting any existing spaces needed to meet requirements for the existing building and use. The number of spaces indicated in this Section shall be the basis for determining adequacy of provisions. Any existing spaces removed by development shall be replaced in kind unless they are either in excess of the number required or removed at the request of the town. Parking spaces also serving as loading areas shall not be credited towards meeting these requirements.
6.1.2.
Special District Reductions. In the Central Business, General Business, and Limited Business districts the following provisions shall apply.
1.
Off-street parking need be provided to serve nonresidential uses in those districts only if the number of required spaces exceeds twenty for uses in the central business district or five for uses in the general or limited business districts.
2.
Legal on-street parking may be credited towards meeting these requirements if located between the premises, side lot lines on the same side of the street.
3.
In the Central Business District only, the required number of spaces for nonresidential uses shall be 50% of the number indicated in this Section.
6.1.3.
Schedule of Minimum Requirements. Parking shall comply with the following:
SCHEDULE OF MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS | |
|---|---|
A. Dwellings | Three parking spaces per dwelling unit having more than one bedroom |
One per dwelling unit for all other dwelling units | |
B. Places of public assembly | One parking space for each three persons capacity based on the Massachusetts State Building Code |
C. Rooming Houses | One and one-half spaces per rental room |
D. Hotel, motel, other commercial accommodations | One parking space for each guest unit, plus one parking space for each units or fractions thereof |
E. Nursing home one parking space per three patient rooms | One parking space per three patient rooms |
F. Hospital | Two and one-half parking spaces per bed |
G. Assisted Living Residence | 0.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit, plus one space per three employees |
H. Restaurant | One parking space per 3 persons seating capacity, plus 3 spaces per take out window or counter position dedicated to take out services |
I. Commercial recreation | One parking space per two persons participant capacity, plus one space per three persons spectator capacity |
J. Auto service station | 3 parking spaces, plus 3 parking spaces (which may be parked in "tandem," i.e. bumper-to bumper, requiring attendant assistance) per service bay |
K. Other service establishments, retail businesses, and offices | One parking space per 250 square feet of gross floor area on the ground plus one space per 400 square feet gross floor area on other floors, but not fewer than three spaces per separate enterprise |
L. Medical or dental office or laboratory; clinic | One parking space per 200 square feet of gross floor area on the ground plus one space per 300 square feet gross floor area on other floors, but not fewer than four spaces per separate enterprise |
M. Whole sale and industrial establishments | One parking space per 250 square feet of office area plus one space per 500 square feet of production area plus one space per 2,000 square feet of storage area, but capable of expansion to nor fewer than one space per 500 square feet gross floor area |
N. Child care center or family day care | One space per number of employees on largest shift, plus one space per every six children enrolled |
O. Other uses | A number of spaces to be determined by the inspector of buildings based upon evidence from similar uses under similar circumstances |
6.1.4.
Loading Area Location and Design.
1.
Proximity. Required parking for nonresidential uses shall be either on the same lot as the activity it serves, or in a separate parcel if the parcel is located within 500 feet (800 feet for employees) walking distance of the building entrance to be served, is located in a zoning district permitting or allowing on special permit the activity it serves, and is permanently committed to serving the use involved.
2.
Setback. Parking lots having seven or more parking spaces shall be set back from the street line at least as follows:
3.
CB District: No requirement;
4.
Setbacks from Route 1: Access and orientation of loading areas shall be on the side or rear elevation of the building and not facing Route 1.
5.
All other locations: 5 feet, landscaped as required at Section 5330 Landscaping and
6.1.5.
Parking Configuration. Dimensions of spaces and aisles shall adequately provide for clearance and movement, and shall accommodate needs of the handicapped in designated spaces. The planning board shall, following consultation with the town engineer, adopt, and may from time to time amend, standards for such dimensions, reflecting current vehicle sizes, and reflecting the distinction between the functional needs of active parking spaces and of spaces for storage or display of vehicles intended for sale.
1.
All parking facilities serving new buildings and having seven or more parking spaces shall be so designed that no vehicle entering or exiting a parking space is required to back onto or off of a public way.
6.1.6.
Parking Design and Construction. Access drives are subject to the same use restrictions as the use they serve, so must be located in a district allowing that use, or if granted a special permit, in a district permitting that use of special permit.
1.
Parking area egress location and design and parking area construction shall be consistent with standards and specifications to be established by the Superintendent of Public Works.
6.1.7.
Parking Structures. Parking shall be maintained only at ground level, with structures neither elevated above grade or depressed below grade. However, above and below grade parking structures shall be allowed in an Economic Opportunity Area duly established pursuant to the Massachusetts Economic Development Incentive Program and approved by the Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting. Said parking structures shall otherwise be in conformity with the height and other dimensional requirements of this Bylaw. In the BPH district, certain types of Special Parking Types and Standard under Section 9.4.13.5 shall be permitted including a) Stacked and Valet Parking, b) Tandem Parking, and d) Structured Parking under the specific requirements of this section and by Special Permit from the Planning Board. Parking garages shall be no taller than 40 feet on the lot, and setback area is subject to landscaping and screening requirements in Section 6.4.
6.1.8.
Loading Requirements. Except in the Central Business District, which is exempt from this requirement, adequate off-street loading facilities and space must be provided to service all needs created by construction of new structures.
1.
Required facilities shall be so sized and arranged that no trucks need back onto of off of a public way, or be parked on a public way while loading, unloading, or waiting to do so.
6.1.9.
Bicycle Racks. For premises requiring 40 or more parking spaces, bicycle racks facilitating locking shall be provided to accommodate one bicycle per 20 parking spaces required or fraction thereof.
6.1.10.
Typical Parking Dimensions. Parking shall comply with the Table set forth below:
TYPICAL PARKING DIMENSIONS IN FEET | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Parking Angle | Stall Width Parallel to Aisle | Stall Depth to Wall | Stall Depth to Interlock | Aisle Width | Wall to Wall | Interlock to Interlock | |
45° | 8.5 ft. stall | 12 | 17.5 | 15.3 | 13 | 48 | 44 |
9.0 ft. stall | 12.7 | 17.5 | 15.3 | 12 | 47 | 43 | |
9.5 ft. stall | 13.4 | 17.5 | 15.3 | 11 | 46 | 42 | |
60° | 8.5 ft. stall | 9.8 | 19 | 17.5 | 18 | 56 | 53 |
9.0 ft. stall | 10.4 | 19 | 17.5 | 16 | 54 | 51 | |
9.5 ft. stall | 11 | 19 | 17.5 | 15 | 43 | 50 | |
75° | 8.5 ft. stall | 8.3 | 19.5 | 18.8 | 25 | 64 | 63 |
9.0 ft. stall | 9.3 | 19.5 | 18.8 | 23 | 62 | 61 | |
9.5 ft. stall | 9.8 | 19.5 | 18.8 | 22 | 61 | 60 | |
90° | 8.5 ft. stall | 8.5 | 18.5 | 18.5 | 28 | 65 | 65 |
9.0 ft. stall | 9 | 18.5 | 18.5 | 26 | 63 | 63 | |
9.5 ft. stall | 9.5 | 18.5 | 18.5 | 25 | 62 | 62 | |
6.1.11.
Specific Requirements.
1.
Short-Term Parking: 9.5' wide. Short-term parking shall include but not be limited to parking of one hour (1Hr.) or less.
2.
Medium-Term Parking: 9.0' wide. Medium-term parking shall include but not be limited to all other parking not otherwise defined as short-term parking as provided herein.
3.
Long-Term Parking: 8.5' wide. Long-term parking shall include but not be limited to parking for a substantial portion of the normal work period.
4.
Parallel Parking: 8' wide by 22' long - aisle width: 25 feet
6.1.12.
Special Permit. When a proposed use or structure requires site plan review from the Planning Board, the Planning Board may, by special permit, authorize a deviation from any parking or loading requirement set forth in this Section 6.1, provided that such relief shall not result in substantial detriment to the neighborhood. When a proposed use or structure does not require site plan review, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall serve as the special permit granting authority for such relief.
§ 6.2 Signs.
6.2.1.
Purpose. The following sign regulations are intended to serve these objectives:
1.
Protect and enhance the visual environment of this town and the safety, convenience and welfare of its residents;
2.
Facilitate efficient communications to ensure that people are able to receive the messages they need or want;
3.
Promote good relationships between signs and the buildings and environment to which they relate; and
4.
Support business vitality by avoiding burdensome procedures and restrictions.
The provisions of this Bylaw have neither the purpose nor intent of imposing a limitation on the content of any communicative matter or materials. Similarly, it is not the purpose or intent of this Bylaw to restrict or prohibit conduct, or deny any right, which is protected by the Constitutions of the United States and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. |
6.2.2.
Permit Procedures. No sign shall be erected, placed or improved prior to the issuance of a sign permit issued by the Inspector of Buildings, except as exempted herein. Application for a sign permit shall be made in writing on a form furnished by the inspector of buildings and shall include plans as required and a fee as established.
1.
Inspector's Action. The Inspector of Buildings shall act upon the application within thirty days after the filing of the completed application. If the proposed sign conforms to this Bylaw, the sign permit shall be issued. If the sign permit is not granted, the Inspector of Buildings shall notify the applicant in writing, citing the reason(s) for denial under this Bylaw. The applicant may reapply, complying with these Bylaws or appeal the decision of the Inspector of Buildings to the Board of Appeals.
2.
Permit Duration. Any sign permit duly issued shall be deemed invalid unless the sign authorized by it has been commenced within six months after its issuance. The Inspector of Buildings may authorize in writing a single six month extension upon written petition of the applicant.
6.2.3.
Location.
1.
Location. No sign shall extend above the wall to which it is attached, and no sign shall be located on the roof of any structure in any district, except for decorative roof-like structures (often termed "mansards") with pitch no less than 20 vertical in 12 horizontal.
2.
Projection. The following shall be observed by all signs except those on awnings, to which it does not apply. No sign parallel to the wall to which it is attached shall project more than twelve inches from the face of that wall and no sign perpendicular to the wall shall project by more than four feet from it. In the Central Business District only, projecting signs perpendicular to a building shall be allowed to extend over a public sidewalk, street or way by no more than four feet provided it meets the requirements of 6.2.6(3) - Projecting Signs.
3.
Overhanging Signs. Any sign which projects into, on, or over a public sidewalk, street, or way is subject to the applicable provisions of the State Building Code regulating signs projecting into, on, or over a public sidewalk, street, or way and shall be subject to bonding and/or insurance requirements as determined by the Board of Selectmen.
6.2.4.
Illumination.
1.
Lighting Type. In all Districts except the Central Business District, signs shall be illuminated only by steady, stationary light either internal to the sign or directed solely at it by light sources shielded and directed away from any abutting street or residential district.
2.
Central Business District. Any internally illuminated sign in the Central Business District shall require the grant of a special permit from the Planning Board.
3.
Hours of Illumination. Signs on buildings or lots within or abutting a Residential District shall not be lighted between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless the premises on which the sign is located are in active use during the hours the sign is lighted.
6.2.5.
Sign Display.
1.
Standard Displays. To ensure that the display does not constitute a non-accessory sign, standard brand names, logos, symbols, or slogans of advertised products or services shall be displayed only if that brand comprises more than twenty-five (25) percent of the dollar value of sales on the premises, as declared by affidavit by the business owner or manager.
2.
Exempt Signs. This Bylaw may not be enforced against the display of political signs and other signs expressly protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article 16 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights.
6.2.6.
Sign Type.
1.
Moving Signs. No sign, any part of which moves, or is designed to move or to be moved by any means, shall be erected or maintained in any district, except such portions of a sign that is designed to be changed or altered by manual or electronic means. Changeable portions of a sign shall not exceed 25% of the allowable sign area and include the following types:
a)
Manually Activated: Signs whose alphabetic, pictographic, or symbolic informational content can be changed or altered by manual means. Manually activated changeable signs may be changed at will.
b)
Electronically Activated: Signs whose alphabetic, pictographic, or symbolic informational content can be changed or altered by means of computer driven electronic impulses. Electronically activated changeable signs require a special permit from the SPGA as set forth in Section 6.2.21.
2.
Attachment. No sign shall be painted or posted directly on the exterior surface of any wall but must be painted, posted or otherwise securely affixed to a substantial intermediary removable surface which shall be securely affixed to the building. The foregoing, however, shall not prevent installation of a sign consisting of individual letters or devices securely affixed to the exterior wall of the building. The material and construction of any sign and intermediary surface and the manner of attachment of the sign to the intermediary surface and the intermediary surface to the wall of the building shall be in accordance with applicable provisions of the State Building Code.
3.
Projecting Signs. In the Central Business District, projecting signs perpendicular to a building shall be allowed to extend over a public sidewalk, street or way provided the signs meet the following conditions:
a)
Projecting signs shall project no more than four (4) feet from the façade of a building.
b)
Only one (1) projecting sign no larger than seven (7) square feet may be erected per business.
c)
Mounting hardware shall be placed to minimize its view from the sidewalk.
d)
Business owners shall mount a projecting sign so the top of the sign is no more than fifteen (15) feet above the sidewalk, and the bottom of the sign is no less than nine (9) feet above the sidewalk.
e)
The projecting sign is restricted to ground floor businesses.
f)
Projecting signs shall not be internally illuminated. LED strips or neon may be used to accent an element of the sign as long as the accent makes up no more than 20% of the entire area of the sign. The lit portion may not move, scroll or flash.
g)
The sign must meet State Building Code standards. This requirement shall be confirmed prior to approval by a structural engineer or other professional approved by the Inspector of Buildings.
h)
The Planning Board issues site plan approval in accordance with Section 10.5. of the Zoning Bylaw – Site Plan Approval and adequate bonding and/or insurance, as determined by the Board of Selectmen, is provided.
6.2.7.
Temporary Signs.
1.
Applicability. Unless specified to the contrary in this Bylaw, temporary signs must comply with all applicable requirements for signs set forth in this Bylaw, including issuance of a sign permit, and the additional requirements set forth below (as applicable).
2.
Window Signs. Temporary signs not meeting the requirements for permanent signs, which are placed in a window, are restricted to devices made of paper, posterboard, cardboard, cloth, canvas, fabric, cardboard, or other light material placed behind display windows, or markings of removable paint or marker inscribed directly on glass, if such devices and markings cover not more than 30% of window area, are not permanently mounted, and are illuminated by building illumination only, but shall not otherwise be used to advertise a continuing or recurrent activity, and shall be removed within seven days after the information they display is out of date.
3.
Non-Window Signs. A temporary sign not placed in a window shall not exceed forty square feet in area for premises having frontage on Route 1, and in other cases shall not exceed six square feet in area in residential districts and ten square feet in area in nonresidential districts. Construction signs shall not be erected prior to the issuance of a building permit, or prior to commencement of work if said work does not require a building permit.
4.
Transient Event Signs. Temporary signs which indicate transient events and similar uses shall comply with applicable Massachusetts laws and the Town Norwood Bylaws, and any conditions imposed in granting of licenses, permits or approvals where a license, permit or approval is otherwise required.
5.
Banners. A temporary banner or similar sign, if permitted by the Board of Selectmen under its authority to control use of town ways under Norwood Town Bylaws may be placed above or across a public or private street or way upon such terms and conditions as the Selectmen shall determine. When a business newly opens, the Inspector of Buildings may as a condition of site plan approval allow the placement of a banner on the premises for a period not to exceed two weeks.
6.
Vehicles. A truck, trailer, or other vehicle shall be construed as a temporary sign, subject to the requirements applicable to permanent signs, if placed at a location especially prepared for display through special lighting or elevation, or in the case of commercial vehicles having lettering, logos, or similar devices, if such vehicles are placed at a location more prominent than a feasible alternative on the site for a cumulative total of ten or more days following written order not to do so by the Inspector of Buildings. Appeal of actions or inactions under this provision may be brought to the Board of Appeals under G.L. c. 40A, s. 8.
6.2.8.
Construction and Maintenance. Signs shall be maintained in a safe and legible condition through prompt replacement of damaged, deteriorated, or missing elements, repainting, and structural replacement as necessary, in accordance with the State Building Code. Any sign that is not properly maintained within ten days following notification from the Inspector of Buildings to do so, or would require expenditures for improvement exceeding the limits of Section 6.2.9.2, below, shall be ordered by the Inspector of Buildings to be removed.
6.2.9.
Nonconforming Signs. Any accessory sign made nonconforming as a result of adoption of regulations following its legal erection may remain, except as qualified below.
1.
Maintenance. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent keeping in good repair a nonconforming sign, including sign maintenance, repainting (without lettering or design alteration), and replacement of broken or deteriorated parts of the sign or its supporting structure, if within the limits prescribed below.
2.
Restoration Limit. Excluding the cost of changing movable parts of an approved sign that is designed for such changes or the repainting or reporting of display matter, any nonconforming sign which has deteriorated or been destroyed or damaged to such an extent that the cost of restoration or maintenance as required under Section 6.2.8 above would exceed 50 percent of the replacement cost of the sign at the time of the destruction or damage, shall be brought into conformity through being repaired, rebuilt, or altered to conform to the requirements of this Bylaw, or it shall be removed. Compliance is the responsibility of the owner of the sign, and shall be carried out within thirty days of order by the Inspector of Buildings to do so.
3.
Removal. Nonconforming non-accessory signs such as billboards shall be removed upon expiration of their permit from the outdoor advertising board or, if not under such permit, within thirty days of notification of violation by the Inspector of Buildings.
6.2.10.
Removal. The removal of all signs is the responsibility of the business occupant. When the business ceases operation, the occupant shall remove the sign within twenty days of the cessation of business. In the event the business occupant ceases operation and fails to remove the sign within sixty days, the Inspector of Buildings shall find the sign has been abandoned and shall order the property owner to remove the sign.
1.
An otherwise conforming sign will be made nonconforming if a change or termination in activities on the premises causes its message to no longer relate to the premises or activities thereon. In such cases the sign shall be removed, except that if the sign is otherwise conforming, the sign structure may be retained with the message portion covered with a single color permanent material.
6.2.11.
Non-accessory Signs. Non-accessory signs are not allowed in any district in the Town of Norwood.
6.2.12.
[Deleted]
6.2.13.
Signs in Residential Districts. Signs are permitted as follows in General Residence (G), Single Residence (S), Single Residence 1 (S1), Single Residence 2 (S2), and Multifamily (A) Districts.
1.
Number, Size and Type. There may be one sign per lot, set back a minimum of five feet from each property line. Such sign may be a standing sign or a wall sign, but it shall not exceed two square feet or, where it indicates a permitted use or occupation, four square feet in area.
2.
Temporary Signs. Temporary signs as regulated herein may be used but shall not be lighted.
6.2.14.
Signs in All Nonresidential Districts.
1.
Temporary Signs. Temporary signs may be used only as regulated herein.
2.
Directory Sign. In addition to the sign or signs allowed below, one directory of the occupants of a building may be affixed to the exterior wall at each public entrance to the building. Such directory may provide up to one square foot for each separate occupant of the building, but in no event shall the directory sign area total exceed six square feet.
3.
Window Signs. In addition to the sign or signs allowed below, a window sign may be painted, attached, or placed on the premises. A window sign may cover no more than 30% of the particular window upon which it is mounted.
4.
Sign Spaces. Where a commercial building in existence prior to January 1, 1990 has a wall surface integrally designed and articulated for the location of a wall sign, that sign may fill the entire articulated area regardless of size, provided that the area enclosing all letters, figures, or representations on the sign is restricted to the sign area allowed below.
6.2.15.
Permanent Signs in All Nonresidential Districts for Premises Having Frontage on Route One from the Westwood to the Walpole Line.
1.
Number. There shall be not more than one principal wall sign, standing sign, or monument sign per separate occupant per lot.
2.
Size. Each principal wall sign may have sign area of up to 50 square feet. However, the area of each principal wall sign may be up to 5% of that separate occupant's leased or owned portion of the facade to which the sign is affixed, even though resulting in a sign larger than 50 square feet.
3.
Standing Signs. A standing sign which advertises the occupant(s) of the premises is permitted, but the front edge of the sign facing the street shall not exceed ten (10) feet in height or width or fifty (50) square feet in area, and shall not be located within twenty (20) feet of any property line. For each foot of setback from the twenty foot (20) front setback line in the BPH district, a standing sign may be increased by one-half (0.5) feet in height and 1.66 square feet in area to a maximum of twenty-five (25) feet in height and one hundred (100) square feet in area.. The SPGA as set forth in section 6.2.21 by special permit may allow any standing sign to be as close as five (5) feet from a side property line provided that for every foot the standing sign is within the fifteen foot setback there is a corresponding reduction of five square feet of sign area.
 |
4.
Secondary Signs. There may be up to two secondary wall signs on a lot, each relating to a separate building, entrance, or frontage on a street or parking area. Each such sign shall have area of up to one square foot for each foot of length of that separate occupant's leased or owned portion of the facade to which the sign is affixed, except that in no event shall any secondary sign exceed thirty square feet.
5.
Monument Signs. A freestanding sign having a low profile with no open space between the ground and the sign shall be considered a monument sign. The foundational structure shall be constructed of masonry materials. A sign board may be integrated into the foundational structure or on top of the foundation but within the overall height limit of five (5) feet. Sign boards shall have a maximum length of ten (10) feet, constructed of durable materials, and may be illuminated by an external source of light. The front edge of a monument sign may be located five (5) feet from the front and side property line and shall be integrated with the streetscape treatments required in the BPH district under Section 6.4. Properties in the BPH District may have a monument sign or a standing sign but not both on the same lot.
6.
Integrated Monument Display: Within the BPH District, the Planning Board may grant a Special Permit for licensed Class 1 and Class 2 Auto Dealerships to have an integrated monument display containing up to two (2) vehicles located on top of a monument base. The design standards under Section 6.2.15.5 apply, except that the overall maximum height shall be 7 feet and the maximum size of the monument base shall be three (3) feet in height and thirty-six (36) feet in length. Integrated monument displays may be allowed in addition to a standing sign.
6.2.16.
Permanent Signs in Business and Office Research Districts. These rules shall apply except for premises having frontage on Route One from the Westwood to the Walpole line.
1.
Number. There shall be not more than one wall sign per separate occupant per lot.
2.
Size. Each principal wall sign may have sign area of up to of 30 square feet. However, the area of a principal wall sign may be up to 5% of that separate occupant's leased or owned portion of the facade to which the sign is affixed, even though resulting in a sign larger than 30 square feet.
3.
Standing Signs. In addition to the allowed wall sign, the SPGA as set forth in Section 6.2.21 may grant a special permit for a standing sign containing only the name or other identification of the premises, upon its determination that such sign is of special importance for the premises because of visibility limitations for attached signs, such as on sites occupied by two or more buildings, provided, however, that:
a)
Any such standing sign shall not exceed 50 square feet in area or a maximum of 20 feet in any dimension; shall not be higher at any point than 20 feet above grade; and shall not be located within 15 feet of any property boundary line. However, the SPGA may allow a standing sign to be as close as 5 feet from a property line provided that for every foot the standing sign is within the 15 foot setback there is a corresponding reduction of 2 square feet of sign area.
b)
The SPGA may impose such terms, restrictions, and conditions as it may deem to be appropriate to assure consistency with the purposes of this Section.
4.
Secondary Signs. There may be up to two secondary wall signs on a lot, each relating to a separate building, entrance, or frontage on a street or a parking area. Each such sign may have area of up to 1 square foot for each foot of length of that separate occupant's leased or owned portion of the facade to which it is affixed, except that in no event shall any secondary sign exceed 15 square feet.
6.2.17.
Permanent Signs in Limited Manufacturing, Life Science Development and Manufacturing Districts. These rules shall apply except for premises having frontage on Route One from the Westwood to the Walpole line.
1.
Number. There shall be not more than one principal wall sign per separate occupant per lot.
2.
Size. Each principal wall sign may have sign area of up to 50 square feet. However, the area of a principal wall sign may be up to 5% of that separate occupant's leased or owned portion of the facade to which the sign is affixed, even though resulting in a sign larger than 50 square feet.
3.
Standing Signs. A standing sign is permitted, but shall not exceed 10 feet in height or width or 50 square feet in area, and shall not be located within 15 feet of any property boundary line. However, the SPGA as set forth in section 6.2.21 may allow a standing sign to be as close as 5 feet from a property line provided that for every foot the standing sign is within the 15 foot setback there is a corresponding reduction of 2 square feet of sign area.
4.
Secondary Signs. There may be up to two secondary wall signs on a lot, each relating to a separate building, entrance, or frontage on a street or parking area. Each such sign may have area of up to 1 square foot for each foot of length of that separate occupant's leased or owned portion of the facade to which it is affixed, except that in no event shall any secondary sign exceed 30 square feet.
6.2.18.
Sign Size Incentive. Any sign or set of signs on the same premises may have 25% more sign area than otherwise allowed if at least five of the following seven criteria are satisfied.
1.
The sign area enclosing all letters, figures, or representation equals not more than 50% of the total sign area.
2.
All display lettering is of the same color.
3.
All display lettering is of the same style.
4.
The entire sign background is uniform in color.
5.
Not more than four words or sets of numbers are displayed.
6.
Sign content is limited to identification of the principal use of the premises, exclusive of advertising or other information.
7.
Sign size, shape and placement result in no interruption to any building column, wall corner, sill line, cornice, roof edge, or similar architectural feature.
8.
The incentive is not applicable to projecting signs as defined in Section 6.2.6 – Sign Types
6.2.19.
Sign Review Board. A Sign Review Board shall be established for the following purposes:
1.
To periodically review the existing sign bylaws and advise the Planning Board as to desirable modifications;
2.
To bring suspected violations of the sign bylaws to the attention of the Inspector of Buildings.
6.2.20.
Sign Review Board; Membership. The Sign Review Board members shall be appointed by the Planning Board and shall consist of the following:
1.
One Planning Board member
2.
One person from the industrial community
3.
One member from a community civic group
4.
Two business persons
5.
Two citizens from the Norwood community.
6.2.21.
Special Permit. For the purposes of this Section 6.2, the term “Special Permit Granting Authority (SPGA)” shall be construed as follows. When a proposed use or structure requires site plan review from the Planning Board, the Planning Board shall serve as the SPGA and may, by special permit, authorize relief from any requirement of this Section 6.2, provided that such relief shall not result in substantial detriment to the neighborhood. When a proposed use or structure does not require site plan review, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall serve as the SPGA for such relief.
6.2.22.
Signs at Priority Development Site(s). Application for a sign permit at a Priority Development Site (PDS) shall be submitted either (a) simultaneously with any other permit application(s) required by the By-Laws or Zoning By-Laws relating to the use or development of the PDS, or the buildings and/or structures located thereon, and not otherwise exempted by G.L. c. 43D, or (b) immediately upon the issuance of a special permit therefor by the SPGA, if so required. Where a special permit from the SPGA is required, an application therefor shall be shall be submitted simultaneously with any other permit application(s) required by the By-Laws or Zoning By-Laws, as aforesaid, and a decision thereon shall be rendered no later than one hundred fifty (150) days from the date of submittal of a complete application for the same.
§ 6.3 Buffers.
6.3.1.
Buffers; Applicability. The following shall be maintained as landscaped buffers. The buffer depth shall be measured from the district boundary or, where a street separates the lot from the district boundary, from the street line at the lot frontage.
1.
All land in a Manufacturing District which is within fifty feet of a Residential District (whether in Norwood or not); and
2.
All land in a Limited Manufacturing or Office - Research District which is within one hundred feet of a Residential District (whether in Norwood or not).
3.
All land in the Boston Providence Highway (BPH) District which is within thirty (30) feet of a Residential District (whether in Norwood or not) shall provide a dense evergreen landscaped buffer to sufficiently screen the view from adjacent residential properties. This shall include a solid perimeter fence at least eight (8) feet in height.
6.3.2.
Basic Requirement. With the exception of streets, access drives essentially perpendicular to streets, walks, and incidental utility structures, such buffers shall be maintained as unpaved planting areas for lawns, trees, shrubs, and other landscape materials, including plantings as required at Section 6.4, in order to provide a park-like area, with no vehicular access, of separation between the districts.
6.3.3.
Alternatives. The width of the required buffer may be reduced to 15% of the dimension of the lot measured perpendicular to the district boundary, where smaller, provided that: the lot was in existence on January 1, 1990; and the number of plants provided shall be increased above that required at Section 6.4 by a percentage at least equal to the percentage reduction in buffer width below that otherwise required.
6.3.4.
Special Permit. When a proposed use or structure requires site plan review from the Planning, the Planning Board may, by special permit, authorize relief from any requirement of this Section 6.3, provided that such relief shall not result in substantial detriment to the neighborhood. When a proposed use or structure does not require site plan review, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall serve as the special permit granting authority for such relief.
§ 6.4 Landscaping and Screening.
6.4.1.
Applicability. Street, parking area, and buffer strip landscaping and screening shall be provided as specified below when any new building, addition, or change of use requires a parking increase of seven or more spaces.
6.4.2.
Plantings. Required landscape plantings shall include a combination of deciduous and evergreen trees and evergreen and flowering perennial shrubs, and be supplemented with colorful seasonal annual and perennial flowers. Trees and shrubs existing on site, in good condition, can be utilizes for site landscaping. To be credited towards meeting these requirements, trees must be a minimum of 2 1/2" caliper four feet above grade, be of a species native to the area, and reach an ultimate height of least thirty feet. Credited shrubs must be at least 30" in height at the time of planting, reach an ultimate height of at least four feet (except where lower height is necessitated for ingress and egress visibility and overhead utility lines, as determined by the Inspector of Buildings), and be a species native to the region. All plantings should be drought tolerant and hearty enough to survive in the environments in which they will be planted such as parking lot islands. Consideration should be given to areas that will be subject to burial from snow plowing. Plantings shall average at least one tree per forty linear feet of planting area length and at least one shrub per three feet. Tree species shall be resistant to insects and disease. The Tree Warden can provide advice on the most appropriate type of tree species. Plantings preferably will be grouped, not evenly spaced, and shall be located or trimmed to avoid blocking ingress and egress visibility. The planting area shall be unpaved except for access drives and walks essentially perpendicular to the area and shall be located wholly within the lot.
6.4.3.
Street Plantings.
1.
Plantings are required along the entire street frontage for nonresidential uses, except at drives, and except where neither a street setback nor a buffer zone is required. The required plantings shall be located within fifteen feet of the street property line.
2.
In the BPH District, streetscape treatments are required along the entire street frontage within twenty (20) feet of the street property line as follows:
a)
Curbing. Six (6) inch raised granite curbing is required along the street property line and the curve radiuses for points of ingress and egress where driveways are located.
b)
Sidewalks or Pathway. A 5-foot concrete walkway is required along the entire length of the frontage and connecting to adjacent sidewalks or pathways.
c)
Ground Cover. Low lying and low maintenance grasses, shrubs, bushes, flowers and similar vegetative materials shall be planted evenly throughout the street frontage. All ground cover must be maintained at no more than 30 inches to avoid blocking visibility for drivers entering or exiting the site.
d)
Street Trees. Deciduous street trees shall be installed along the entire frontage at 50 feet on center. Trees shall be a minimum of 3 ½” caliper at least 4 feet above grade and of native species common to the area. All trees must be drought and salt tolerant. They should be regularly trimmed to provide clear visibility into the site from the street, and provide shade over the walkway.
e)
Bollards. Where there is parking in front of the building, bollards should be installed to create separation from the streetscape area and parking lot.
f)
Monument Signs. Monument signs and Integrated Monument Displays should be integrated into the landscape/streetscape plan. See Section 6.2.15.5 and 6.
6.4.4.
Parking Area Plantings. A minimum of 5% of the interior area of parking lots containing 30 or more spaces must be landscaped. A minimum of two trees and six shrubs, exclusive of any required perimeter plantings must be planted for every 1,500 square feet of parking lot. Planting areas must each contain not less than 30 square feet of unpaved soil area. Exposed areas in between trees, shrubs, and flower beds shall be covered with a minimum of 4 inches of mulch or vegetated with grass. Trees and soil plots shall be so located as to provide visual relief, wind interruption, and shade to minimize the urban heat sink effect within the parking area and to assure safe patterns of internal circulation. Landscaped berms are encouraged to provide topographic relief and interest along street frontage.
6.4.5.
Buffer Strip Plantings. Buffer strip plantings shall be provided in required buffer strips and for any premises along the full length of any boundary abutting or extending into a residential district. Required plantings shall be located within ten feet of the boundary line.
6.4.6.
Screening. Applicability. Screening is required to obscure visibility from beyond the boundaries of the premises as follows:
1.
For open-lot storage of worn out or discarded materials, inoperative machinery or parts thereof, or materials awaiting further processing, if otherwise visible at normal eye level less than five hundred feet beyond the lot line;
2.
In Limited Manufacturing Districts for open-lot storage or display of goods, products, materials, or equipment, if otherwise visible at normal eye level less than five hundred feet beyond the lot line; and
3.
In Residential Districts for parking areas of seven or more spaces, if otherwise visible at normal eye level within a Residential District within fifty feet of the lot line.
6.4.7.
Materials. Screening as required shall consist of plantings as specified herein, which, unless of species, size and spacing to effectively obscure vision within five years of expected growth, must be supplemented by an opaque fence or wall at least six feet tall.
6.4.8.
Existing Vegetation. Whenever possible, the above requirements shall be met by retention of existing plants. If located within twenty-five feet of a street, no existing tree of 6" caliper or greater (measured four feet above grade), dense hedgerow of four or more feet in both depth and height, or existing earth berm providing similar visual screening shall be removed or have grade changed more than one foot unless dictated by plant health, access safety, or identification of the premises.
6.4.9.
Maintenance. All plant materials required by these bylaws shall be maintained in a healthful condition. Dead limbs shall be promptly removed and dead plants shall be promptly replaced at the earliest appropriate season. Any fences required for screening shall be properly maintained.
6.4.10.
Nonconforming Landscaping and Screening.
1.
Continuation. Any improvement along the property boundary, including landscaping, screening, and fencing, legally erected and conforming to the requirements of these bylaws when so erected, may continue to be maintained, even though as a result of changes to this Bylaw the boundary improvements no longer conform to its requirements.
2.
Change. Such boundary improvements shall not be enlarged, redesigned, or altered except so as to make them conform to said requirements. Any such boundary improvements which have been destroyed or damaged to such an extent that the cost of restoration would exceed 50% of the replacement value of the boundary improvements at the time of destruction or damage, shall not be repaired, rebuilt, or altered, except to conform to the requirements of this Bylaw.
6.4.11.
Exemption. The exemption for nonconforming landscaping and screening herein granted shall terminate with respect to any boundary improvements which:
1.
Shall have been abandoned or
2.
Shall not have been repaired or properly maintained for at least sixty days after notice to that effect has been given by the Inspector of Buildings.
6.4.12.
Special Permit. When a proposed use or structure requires site plan review from the Planning Board, the Planning Board may, by special permit, authorize relief from any requirement of this Section 6.4, provided that such relief shall not result in substantial detriment to the neighborhood. When a proposed use or structure does not require site plan review, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall serve as the special permit granting authority for such relief.
§ 6.5 Environmental Protection Requirements.
6.5.1.
Lighting. The following limitations shall be observed by all new exterior lighting installations, except those within and illuminating a right-of-way, or up to two security lights on any premises.
1.
Lighting Installations. Exterior area lighting, such as for parking lots or recreation areas, and building floodlighting shall employ fixtures of a type, height, location, brightness and direction such that light sources are not exposed to normal view from any adjacent dwellings or traveled ways. Light overspill onto adjacent premises shall not exceed 0.5 footcandles measured in residential districts or 3 footcandles in nonresidential districts, except that if the ambient level exceeds that, then overspill shall not be such as to produce shadows observable without instruments. Poles shall be limited to 20 feet in height.
2.
Flashing. No flickering or flashing lights shall be permitted. Processes, such as arc welding, which create light flashes shall be confined within buildings or shielded to prevent either direct glare or flashing reflected from the sky.
3.
Hours. Exterior building and area lighting shall be extinguished not more than one hour after closing, except as required for safety and security.
4.
Night Sky. Lighting fixtures shall prevent overspill into the night sky.
5.
Lighting Plan. An exterior lighting plan is required for applications proposing in aggregate more than 5,000 watts of exterior lighting, to include indication of location, mounting height, and orientation of luminaires, and sufficient technical information on the fixtures to determine their type and resulting illumination levels.
6.
Departures. Departure from the above requirements may be authorized on special permit, upon determination by the Planning Board that either it is inherently infeasible for that use (e.g. public outdoor recreation) to meet these standards, or that the installation involves no more than two luminaires, and that all reasonable efforts have been made to avoid glare or light overspill onto streets or residential premises.
6.5.2.
Noise. The following noise standards, unless otherwise specifically indicated, shall apply to noise as heard at any location off the premises within a designated noise zone, except for that produced by warning devices, agricultural activity, temporary construction or maintenance work, yard maintenance, public events, or other special circumstances, but specifically not excluding recurrent vehicle noise associated with fixed points, such as that of refrigerator trucks at loading areas. The following noise zones are hereby created:
Noise Zone A: Nonresidential districts |
Noise Zone B: Locations in any Residential District, but within two hundred feet of a nonresidential district, or within two hundred feet of a state numbered highway |
Noise Zone C: All other locations |
1.
Limitations. No development shall be allowed which would result in the following standards being exceeded by more than 20 decibels at any time, or by more than 10 decibels for more than ten minutes in an hour, or at all for more than 30 minutes in an hour, measured at any point off-site. If the generated noise has a single dominant frequency above 4,800 cycles per second, these standards shall be reduced by 5 decibels.
ALLOWABLE EXTERIOR NOISE LEVEL | ||
|---|---|---|
Noise Zone | 7AM – 9PM | 9PM – 7AM |
A | 65 decibels | 60 decibels |
B | 60 decibels | 55 decibels |
C | 55 decibels | 50 decibels |
6.5.3.
Storm Water Management. The design and construction of stormwater management systems for development subject to Development Plan Review will be consistent with the following standards.
1.
Discharging untreated stormwater runoff directly into rivers, streams, watercourses, or increasing the volume, rate, or further degrading the quality of existing discharges/runoff is prohibited.
2.
Post-development peak runoff shall be maintained at or below pre-development peak runoff rates.
3.
Stormwater runoff shall be routed through structural and nonstructural systems designed to increase time of concentration, decrease velocity, increase infiltration, and allow suspended solids to settle and remove pollutants. These systems shall utilize subsurface infiltration as the primary technique to treat runoff and shall be designed to remove 80% of the annual average bad (post-development conditions) of Total Suspended Solids (TSS).
4.
When in the opinion of the Town Engineer subsurface infiltration of runoff is deemed infeasible because of soil conditions, retention and detention ponds, and methods of overland flow may be used to retain, detain, and treat runoff. However, there shall be a minimum of two feet of naturally occurring soils between the basin bottom and the ground water table.
5.
Storm management systems shall have an operation and maintenance plan to ensure that systems function as designed.
6.5.4.
Erosion Control.
1.
Any area of bare earth exposed through building or site development or demolition must be permanently stabilized through replanting, paving, or other means of eliminating wind or water erosion. The Inspector of Buildings may require that a performance bond be posted in an amount sufficient to assure completion of such work.
2.
All construction must comply with the following. An erosion control plan shall be submitted for every development which will expose more than 40,000 square feet of bare earth during development through either removal or filling on the same parcel or on contiguous parcels in the same ownership, and for developments exposing more than 20,000 square feet of bare earth in areas having existing slopes in excess of 10%, highly erodible soils, or other conditions determined by the Inspector of Buildings to necessitate such a plan. Such plan shall have sufficient information on existing and proposed topography, vegetation, and control measures to allow determination of compliance.
3.
Stripping of vegetation, regrading, or other development shall be done in a way which will minimize soil erosion.
4.
Whenever practical, trees and other natural vegetation shall be retained, protected, and supplemented.
5.
The disturbed area shall be kept to a minimum.
6.
Where necessary, temporary vegetation and/or mulching shall be used to protect areas exposed during development.
7.
Sediment basins (debris basins, desilting basins or silt traps) shall be installed and maintained where necessary to remove from runoff waters any sediment from land undergoing development.
8.
The angle of graded slopes and fills shall be no greater than the angle which can be retained by vegetative cover or alternative proposed erosion control devices or structures. In any event, slopes left exposed must immediately be planted or otherwise provided with permanent ground cover or other means sufficient to retain erosion.
9.
A ground cover sufficient to retain erosion must be planted or otherwise provided within 30 working days, season permitting, on any portion of the tract upon which further active construction is not being undertaken.
10.
The development plan or land-disturbing activity shall be fitted to the topography and soils so as to minimize erosion potential.
11.
The Inspector of Buildings or the Planning Board in acting on a special permit may require a report on the erosion control proposals by the Soil Conservation Service or others expert in soil mechanics in cases where doubt as to adequacy of proposed measures exists. Selection of techniques and determination of adequacy of measures shall, unless otherwise specified, be consistent with Guidelines for Soil and Water Conservation in Urbanizing areas of Massachusetts, USDA Soil Conservation Service, 1975.
6.5.5.
Odors. No use may cause the emission of objectionable odors detectable more than 200 feet beyond the boundary of the premises for receptors within a manufacturing district or more than 100 feet beyond the boundary of the premises for receptors elsewhere.
6.5.6.
Tree Protection. Location and design shall not cause avoidable removal or damage to any tree exceeding 12" trunk diameter 4 1/2 feet above grade.
6.5.7.
Special Permit. When a proposed use or structure requires site plan review from the Planning Board, the Planning Board may, by special permit, authorize relief from any requirement of this Section 6.5, provided that such relief shall not result in substantial detriment to the neighborhood. When a proposed use or structure does not require site plan review, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall serve as the special permit granting authority for such relief.