West Springfield City Zoning Code

Residence A (RA). The purpose of the RA District is to provide for residential areas that allow for lower density residential areas primarily for single-family dwellings.

Residence A-1 (RA-1). The purpose of the RA-1 District is to provide for residential areas of medium density primarily for single-family dwellings.

Residence A-2 (RA-2). The purpose of the RA-2 District is to provide for residential areas of higher density primarily for single-family dwellings.

Residence B (RB). The purpose of the RB District is to provide for residential areas of higher density primarily for single-family and two-family dwellings.

Residence C (RC). The purpose of the RC District is to provide for residential neighborhoods of higher densities that allow for a mix of residential and professional office uses.

Neighborhood Business (NB). The purpose of the NB District is to establish a small business district in residential areas that permit a number of selected small businesses that could provide limited services to the surrounding neighborhood.

Business A (BA). The purpose of the BA District is to provide areas for a wide range of retail uses/services and commercial activities, of higher densities, along primary roads to serve as business highway corridors within West Springfield. BA Districts are especially capable of accommodating high-volume traffic-generating uses, such as drive-through restaurants, convenience stores, gas stations, and drive-in banks.

Business A-1 (BA-1). The purpose of the BA-1 District is to provide a mixed-use area, of medium density, containing a wide variety of institutional, civic and professional/business uses with multifamily residential uses and a limited quantity of commercial uses. This district is applied to the area of the West Springfield Town Center abutting Park Street and Park Avenue.

Business B (BB). The purpose of the BB District is to provide a higher density area for a mix of business and industrial uses.

Business B-1 (BB-1). The purpose of the BB-1 District is to provide a higher density area for a mix of industrial, multifamily residential and limited commercial uses.

Central Business (CB). The purpose of the CB District zoning is intended to emphasize the unique character of the Elm Street/Westfield Street section of West Springfield by encouraging a mix of public service uses with commercial uses of neighborhood and community scope. Requirements within the district also attempt to encourage retention of the area's pedestrian-oriented characteristics but do not discourage access by motor vehicles, provision of adequate parking or limited regional services. However, uses which require large expanses of land, interrupt pedestrian shopping and circulation patterns or otherwise interfere with the goals, subgoals and policies contained in this section are discouraged.

Industrial (I). The purpose of the I District is to provide a high-density area for industrial uses, both heavy and light uses.

Industrial Park (IP). The purpose of IP Districts is to encourage the environmentally and socially sound development of industrial activities and various complementary or compatible uses.

Industrial Park - Light (IP-L). The purpose of the IP-L Districts is to encourage the environmentally and socially sound development of small-scale industrial activities and various complementary or compatible uses.

Special Use (Technical), Special Use (Office), Special Use (Multifamily), and Special Use (Mobile Home). The purpose of all Special Use Districts is to encourage the flexible, orderly and rational development of larger parcels of land, i.e., five acres or more.

Planned Unit Development (PUD). The purpose of the PUD District is to promote greater flexibility in land use and building design by permitting modification of the specific provisions of this ordinance for designated areas that will be developed as a single entity, provided that the development is compatible with the surrounding land uses and consistent with the Town's Master Plan. A planned unit development is also intended to provide for a mixture of land uses, including residential, commercial and/or industrial; the creative use of open space; the protection of natural resources and environmentally sensitive areas; and greater amenities to the occupants and users of the development.

Flood Hazard (FH). The purposes of establishing the Flood Hazard Overlay District are to:

Water Supply Protection (WSP). The purpose of the WSP District is to promote the health, safety and welfare of the community by protecting and preserving the surface resources of the Town and the region from any use of land or buildings which may reduce the quality of its water resources.

Recreational (REC). The purpose of the REC District is to promote the sound use of the community's waterfront for passive and active recreational uses and to preserve the scenic qualities of the Connecticut and Westfield Rivers and the public's ability to enjoy visual and recreational access to the rivers; promote the creation of natural buffer area or greenbelt along the length of the river, punctuated by public access areas and open spaces; protect life, public safety and property from flooding hazards, and preserve natural flood storage areas; preserve environmentally sensitive areas, such as fisheries and wildlife habitat, along the river; and prevent water pollution caused by erosion, sedimentation, nutrient or pesticide run-off, and poorly sited waste disposal facilities.

Age-Restricted Housing (ARH). The purpose of the ARH Overlay Zoning District is to encourage the development of affordable and market-rate housing for individuals aged 55 and over, by allowing for a greater variety of building types at a higher density than would normally be allowed; by allowing greater flexibility in site planning so as to promote the sound development of land which reduces residents' burdens of property maintenance and which reduces demands on municipal services; and to promote flexibility in land use planning in order to improve site layouts, protect natural features and environmental values and utilize land in harmony with neighboring properties.

Memorial Corridor (MC). The purpose of the MC Overlay District is to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the public and secure public benefits by the following means:

Billboard Overlay District (BOD). The purpose of this district is meant to manage the placement, operation and maintenance of billboards and digital billboards. The Billboard Overlay District is a set of requirements which are superimposed as shown on the approved Zoning Map as the designated Billboard Overlay District. The BOD shall establish reasonable standards in accordance with the following purpose and intent:

Flood Hazard Overly District Maps. The Flood Hazard Overlay District is herein established as an overlay district. Said Flood Hazard Overlay District is superimposed on certain portions of the principal zoning districts established in § 300-3.2 but do not alter the uses permitted therein. The district includes all special flood hazard areas within the Town of West Springfield designated as Zone A or AE on the Hampden County Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the administration of the National Flood Insurance Program. The map panels of the Hampden County FIRM that are wholly or partially within the Town of West Springfield are panel numbers 25013C0190E, 25013C0191E, 25013C0192E, 25013C0193E, 25013C0194E, 25013C0213E, 25013C0377E, 25013C0381E, 25013C0382E, 25013C0383E, 25013C0384E, 25013C0401E, 25013C0402E, 25013C0403E, and 25013C0404E, dated July 16, 2013. The exact boundaries of the district may be defined by the one-hundred-year base flood elevations shown on the FIRM and further defined by the Hampden County Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report dated July 16, 2013. The FIRM and FIS report are incorporated herein by reference and are on file with the Town Clerk, Planning Board, Building Official, and Conservation Commission.

Age Restricted Housing (ARH). The purpose of the Age Restricted Housing Overlay Zoning District is to encourage the development of affordable and market-rate housing for individuals aged 55 and over, by allowing for a greater variety of building types at a higher density than would normally be allowed; by allowing greater flexibility in site planning so as to promote the sound development of land which reduces residents' burdens of property maintenance and which reduces demands on municipal services; and to promote flexibility in land use planning in order to improve site layouts, protect natural features and environmental values and utilize land in harmony with neighboring properties.

Water Supply Protection Overlay Map. The Water Supply Protection District is herein established to include all lands within the Town of West Springfield lying within the watershed areas of public water supply reservoirs which now or may in the future provide public water supply. The map entitled "Water Supply Protection District, Town of West Springfield," on file with the Town Clerk, delineates the boundaries of the district.

Memorial Corridor Overlay Map. The Memorial Corridor Overlay District is herein established to include all lands within the Town of West Springfield lying within the area shown on the plan entitled "Memorial Corridor Overlay District," dated October 2013, prepared by Tighe and Bond, on file with the Town Clerk.

Billboard Overlay District. The Billboard Overlay District (BOD) is herein established to include all lands within the Town of West Springfield lying within the area shown on the plan entitled "Billboard Overlay District # 1," dated November 24, 2020, prepared by R. Levesque Associates, Inc., on file in the office of the Town Clerk.

District boundary lines on ways. Where the boundary lines are shown upon said map within the street lines of public or private ways, the center lines of such ways shall be the boundary lines.

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

District boundary lines outside of street lines. Where the boundary lines are located outside of such street lines and are shown approximately parallel thereto, they shall be deemed to be parallel to such street lines, and figures upon said map between such boundary lines and street lines, such distances being measured at right angles to such street lines unless otherwise indicated.

District boundary lines on rivers. Where the boundary lines follow a river, the boundary lines shall be deemed to be at the limit of the jurisdiction of the Town, unless otherwise indicated.

Location of district boundary lines. In cases which are not governed by other provisions of this section, the location of said boundary lines shall be determined by the distances in feet, if given, from other lines upon said map, or, if distances are not given, then by the scale of said map.

Determination of district boundary line. Whenever any uncertainty exists as to the exact location of a district boundary line, the location of such line shall be determined by the Inspector of Buildings; provided, however, that any person aggrieved by his decision may appeal to the Board of Appeals, as provided in § 300-15.8 of this ordinance.