[Massplanners] [EXTERNAL]Re: Specific ADU Question

[Jay Vinskey]

We are looking at revising our accessory setbacks (with ADUs in mind) as follows:

Unless more strictly regulated elsewhere, accessory structures may be sited within the side and/or rear yards as follows:

  1.
those not requiring a permit under the Building Code nor exceeding either 200 square feet in floor area or 12 feet in height, as measured from the ground to its highest structural point/peak, may be located as close as 5 feet from the lot line;
  2.
those exceeding any of the foregoing limitations may be located as close as 10 feet from the side lot line and 15 feet from the rear lot line; except that
  3.
detached buildings exceeding the footprint/coverage or height the lot’s principal structure shall comply with the yard requirements applicable to a principal building

Jay Vinskey, AICP, RLA
City Planner

59 Court Street - Suite 300, Westfield, MA 01085
office: 413.642.9307
mobile: 413.579.7494
E-mail is considered a public record and therefore subject to MGL Chapter 66 § 10, Massachusetts Public Records Law

________________________________
From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> on behalf of Anne Capra via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org>
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2025 9:13 AM
To: Ryan, Christopher <cryan at belmont-ma.gov>
Cc: Mass Planners <massplanners at masscptc.org>
Subject: [EXTERNAL]Re: [Massplanners] Specific ADU Question


CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize and verify the sender and know the content is safe.


Chris,
That's how I read the regs as well - principal or accessory use setbacks, whichever is lesser. That is what South Hadley is putting forward too.
Anne

On Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 8:15 AM Ryan, Christopher via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org<mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>> wrote:

Happy Friday Planners



We have our Special Town Meeting on Monday related to the ADU law and some Planning Board members and a wider swath of the public are still not happy with using current accessory building setbacks to allow for new ADUs and conversions. They want us to use the setbacks for the principal buildings and frankly some of those setbacks are 30’ or more in the rear.



Not only would that effectively nullify the opportunity to site such units in these areas but, IMPO, would also likely run afoul of EOHLC and the AG.



Can you let me know if your provisions, if you have them, also use accessory building setbacks for new ADUs and what that setback is?



Thanks in advance and hope you will have a good weekend.



Best,



Chris R.



==========================================

Christopher J. Ryan, AICP

Director of Planning & Building

Town of Belmont, MA

19 Moore Street

Belmont, MA  02478-0900

617.993-2650

cryan at belmont-ma.gov<mailto:cryan at belmont-ma.gov>

https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.belmont-ma.gov%2f1451%2fPlanning-Board&c=E,1,p2wVM9L_ggpWhiVwre5RedMWZM6qBJ7Ks-1wNAsBcVBQ47KX4mKe7e_sT0MgsfSaHH0L1NA7JoUyuZFJI-tN5ywJyDk69CB4D1EYjoHUdVw-AdtQQJ1l&typo=1<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.belmont-ma.gov%2f1451%2fPlanning-Board&c=E,1,mjaYnHtvgItU-dQTxyxKrc_xpBb8ZcDN7CwWQkqfAQ4dDbFQitikHXWXrTex0wrYCuzNpVmFGL5hxfsufkFNqpNnZ-cRGvhhjX0M1QSd5081Nbg_&typo=1>

===========================================







--
MassPlanners mailing list
MassPlanners at masscptc.org<mailto:MassPlanners at masscptc.org>
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fmasscptc.org%2fmailman%2flistinfo%2fmassplanners_masscptc.org&c=E,1,BeC8mKTl8Ss458JsFdl5BF-tvMsvP4Jon2JJsFn_xMm2_p_Y0TT2861mlOmpD2yLmF2ShoF0Yo0tI08GR6yNRPTdh5p3mRLtZY76KYlzbOsY0iJ18kxonIjBgw,,&typo=1<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fmasscptc.org%2fmailman%2flistinfo%2fmassplanners_masscptc.org&c=E,1,1XE24iQiQ63LqBK8hWGDxSUTGhw40BwISHKhgfsxktzlVhw2A5k7NuF8SPZjRsQX7S_82colKX4iaxvMEL_KArZD4kPZCPmO2Cutm_OibyaQoe4m&typo=1>


--
Anne Capra, AICP
Director, Planning & Conservation
Town of South Hadley
116 Main Street | South Hadley, MA 01075
(413) 538-5030 x6128
acapra at southhadleyma.gov<mailto:acapra at southhadleyma.gov>

Learn more about South Hadley's community plans HERE<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fsouthhadley.org%2f1127%2fCommunity-Plans-and-Studies&c=E,1,8uFu19A71iFORufKl58KZL-4VPp_yxtL0ut7_PYh_QIsnabA1i9SDdUyPCJLRdJsz0EN7oji_3bNC-fqOiTe4epoO4sFNrO9fjMWBcM0hzUchQ,,&typo=1>.

*Do not print this email unless necessary
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://masscptc.org/pipermail/massplanners_masscptc.org/attachments/20250228/3fecd680/attachment.htm>