ADU rules in Saugus, MA — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Since February 2025, every Essex County town must allow one accessory dwelling unit by right on a single-family lot. No special permit is allowed, and the ADU can be up to 900 square feet.
The 2024 Affordable Homes Act amended state zoning law so that a single ADU is permitted by right in any single-family district. Towns cannot require a special permit or discretionary approval, though they may impose site plan review, setbacks, and height limits. The unit must be self-contained with its own entrance, kitchen, and bath, and cannot exceed half the main home's floor area or 900 square feet, whichever is smaller.
A town by-law that bans ADUs, demands a special permit, or adds owner-occupancy or extra parking beyond one space is unenforceable against a by-right ADU. Building the unit without the required building permit still triggers standard code enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Saugus's adu rules rules stack up against other locations.
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