Taunton, MA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Section 440-710 of the Taunton Zoning Ordinance, most recently amended March 11, 2025, governs accessory dwelling units citywide. ADUs are permitted as specified in § 440-502, but any accessory dwelling that fails to meet every requirement of § 440-710 needs a special permit from the Planning Board, obtained after the applicant first secures the necessary relief from the Zoning Board of Appeals. 02, the state's ADU regulation. The size cap is 900 square feet, or 50% of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling, whichever number is smaller, so a modest principal house yields an even smaller allowable ADU.

03(3)(b)2 specifically overrides them. Parking adds one more space beyond what the principal dwelling already requires, unless the lot lies within half a mile of the commuter rail station or the bus station, in which case the extra space is waived. Only one accessory dwelling unit is allowed per lot, and the ADU and the principal dwelling must remain under the same ownership and stay on the same lot; they cannot be subdivided into separate parcels. A short-term rental prohibition is written into the same section as well.

Because § 440-710 sits inside the Zoning Ordinance, violations of any of these standards, including exceeding the size cap or skipping the required special permit, are enforced under the citywide zoning penalty at § 440-301B.