For the purpose of this Bylaw, the Town is divided into the following types of districts:

1.

Base Zoning Districts

A.

The Rural A District is intended as a residential district for typical rural uses with which one-family homes are compatible.

B.

The Rural AA District is intended as a residential district for detached single-family homes and open space, recreation, and conservation areas in addition to planned residential developments. (added 5/16/2011) The Rural B District is intended as a district for low density uses with which one-family homes are compatible.

C.

The Residence A, B-1, and B-2 Districts are intended as districts for rural, residential and non-commercial uses.

D.

The Multi-Family MF-1 and MF-2 Residential Districts are intended for low density multi-family residential uses.

E.

The Apartment District is intended for high density multi-family residential uses.

F.

The Limited Business (LB) District is intended to provide consumer goods and services.

G.

The Commercial-Business (CB) District is intended to provide goods and services for transients or tourists and non-consumer goods and services.

H.

The Limited Commercial-Business (LCB) district is intended to provide goods and services for residents, transients and/or tourists as well as office uses. (added 5/16/2011)

I.

The Limited Industrial (LI) District is intended for use by research laboratories, office buildings and light industries.

J.

The Neighborhood Business (NB) District is intended to provide consumer goods and services under highly controlled conditions so as not to be disruptive to adjacent residential properties.

K.

The Office-Research (O-R) District is intended for use by research laboratories and office buildings which would be compatible with rural residential neighborhoods.

L.

The Limited Office-Research (LO-R) District is intended for use by specialized biomedical, pharmaceutical, research and development, and production facilities.

M.

The Town Center District (TCD) intent is to foster a pattern of land use and site development that creates a walkable mixed use Town Center reinforcing the New England character already in place. (added 8/8/2020)

2.

Zoning Overlay Districts

A.

Aquifer Protection Overlay District is intended to protect public health and safety by minimizing contamination of shallow/surficial aquifers and preserving and protecting existing and potential sources of drinking water supplies.

B.

Edgemere Village Overlay District is intended to provide for neighborhood business and residential uses at a scale appropriate for a small village area.

C.

Flexible Development Overlay District is intended to provide flexibility to develop office, research, health care, light industrial, and accessory uses and encourage planned developments that provide employment and fiscal benefits to the Town.

D.

Lakeway Overlay District is intended to encourage a mix of commercial, residential, institutional and civic uses in a physical arrangement that is safe for vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic in order to create and maintain a vibrant, walkable commercial area.

E.

Route 20 Overlay District is intended to provide flexibility to develop an organized mix of office, retail, and compatible light industrial and other uses in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing and provides economic and fiscal benefits to the Town.

F.

The Transit Oriented Development Overlay (TOD) Districts are intended to maintain compliance with M.G.L. Chapter 40A Section 3A, and to encourage smart growth development with a transit oriented focus, and to:

1.

Provide equal access to housing throughout the community for people of diverse needs and income levels.

2.

Support a variety of middle housing opportunities by encouraging an appropriate mix and intensity of uses to support an active public space that provides equal access to housing, jobs, gathering spaces, recreational opportunities, goods, and services to be proposed in a distinctive and attractive site development program that promotes compact design, preservation of open space, and a variety of transportation options.

3.

Promote general public health, reduce the number of vehicular miles traveled, support economic development, and meet community-based environmental goals, including reducing greenhouse gases and improving air quality.

4.

Preserve open space in the community by locating new housing within or adjacent to existing developed areas and infrastructure.
(added 11/18/2024)

Said districts are hereby established as shown, located, defined and bounded on the digital map entitled "Official Zoning Map of the Town of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts," dated November 18, 2024 and on file in the office of the Town Clerk. The Zoning Map, together with all explanatory matter thereon, is hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Bylaw. The Zoning Map is the digital map file maintained by the Engineering Department and shall control in the event of a conflict between the Zoning Map that is on file and any other reproduction of said map. The reclassification of property to a new zoning district or classification shall be considered an amendment to the Official Zoning Map. (amended 5/23/2018; amended 11/18/2024)

1.

Where the boundary lines are shown upon said map within the street lines of public and private ways, or utility transmission lines, the center lines of such ways or lines shall be the boundary lines, unless otherwise indicated.

2.

Boundary lines located outside of such street lines or transmission lines, and shown approximately parallel thereto, shall be regarded as parallel to such lines, and dimensions shown in figures placed upon said map between such boundary lines and such transmission lines are the distances in feet of such boundary lines from the center line of such lines, such distances being measured at right angles to such lines unless otherwise indicated.

3.

Where the boundary lines are shown approximately on the location of property or lot lines, and the exact location of property, lot or boundary lines is not indicated by means of dimensions shown in figures, then the property or lot lines shall be the boundary lines.

4.

In all cases which are not covered by other provisions of this Section, the location of boundary lines shall be determined by the distance in feet, if given, from other lines upon said map, by the use of identifications as shown on the map, or by the scale of said map.

Where a district boundary line divides any lot of record existing at the time such line is adopted, any building or use permitted in either district shall be permitted for said lot within a distance not exceeding thirty (30) feet beyond the boundary.

Upon the granting of a Special Permit by the Board of Appeals, as provided in Section IX, the provisions of this bylaw shall not apply to the Town of Shrewsbury in the carrying out of any of its functions if the use for a specific location is voted by a town meeting.

The dimensional requirements of the zoning bylaw shall not apply to any lot owned by the Town of Shrewsbury and created by a transfer by the Town severing such lot from a larger tract of land owned by the Town, which transfer was authorized by a two-thirds majority vote at town meeting.