Building Setbacks & Zoning in Quincy, MA

Quincy maintains 84 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with building setbacks & zoning. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Quincy falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Setback Rules

Quincy's Table of Dimensional Requirements sets minimum front, side, and rear yards by zoning district: 25 feet front in Residence A, down to no front or side setback at all in the dense Business C2 core.

Key details: Res. A front yard: 25 ft minimum. Res. A side yard: 13 ft minimum. Res. A rear yard: 20 ft minimum. Res. C yard rule: half building height, 25 ft floor.

Building inside a required yard without relief is a zoning violation carrying a $300 fine per offense, with each day of the violation a separate offense.

Structure Height Limits

Quincy caps residential building height at 35 feet in Residence A and B districts, measured from the highest point of the structure to average finished grade, regardless of the number of stories otherwise allowed.

Key details: Res. A/B height cap: 35 ft from grade. Citywide residential cap: 60 ft above grade. Commercial-use cap: 80 ft above grade. Max stories citywide: 6 stories, no exception. Accessory garage height: 16 ft maximum.

Building over the height limit is a zoning violation: $300 per offense, with each day the violation continues counting as a separate offense.

Lot Coverage Limits

Quincy controls how much building a lot can hold through floor area ratio, not a lot-coverage percentage. FAR runs from no cap in Residence A up to 3.5 in the densest Business C2 district.

Key details: Residence A FAR: none set. Residence B FAR: 0.4 to 0.5. Residence C FAR: 1.0. Business C2 FAR: 3.5, citywide high. Industrial A / B FAR: 1.0 and 2.0.

Exceeding the district's floor area ratio is a zoning violation: $300 per offense, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense, enforced by the Director of Inspectional Services.

The Bottom Line

Quincy's building setbacks & zoning rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Quincy is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Quincy's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.