Somerville requires property owners to keep premises free of rodents and vermin. Demolition and construction sites must file a rodent control plan with ISD.
Under Somerville Health and Sanitation regulations and the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code (105 CMR 410 for housing), property owners must maintain buildings and yards free of rat harborage, and landlords must professionally exterminate infestations when two or more dwelling units are affected or when an inspector documents the condition. The City requires a rodent control plan (baiting and monitoring by a licensed applicator) for any demolition permit and for excavation projects, with pre-treatment typically 7 to 14 days before work begins. Trash must be stored in rodent-proof barrels with tight-fitting lids, and overgrown vegetation, wood piles, and abandoned furniture that shelter rats are nuisance violations enforced by ISD. Bee and wasp nests near public ways must be abated by the owner. Licensed pest applicators must follow Massachusetts Pesticide Board rules (333 CMR).
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Somerville, MA
Somerville restricts amplified music through its noise ordinance and entertainment licensing, with plainly-audible standards at property lines and stricter c...
Somerville, MA
Somerville limits construction noise to daytime and early-evening weekday hours with shorter Saturday windows and a full Sunday and holiday prohibition, refl...
Somerville, MA
Overnight street parking in Somerville requires a resident permit citywide. Snow emergencies trigger odd-even or posted-side bans.
Somerville, MA
Commercial vehicles over 2.5 tons cannot park overnight on Somerville residential streets. Loading zones are time-limited and signed by block.
Somerville, MA
Most Somerville streets are resident-permit zones. Non-residents are limited to 2 hours on posted blocks from 8 AM to 8 PM daily including weekends.
Somerville, MA
Somerville requires a building permit for most fence installations, with historic districts adding a Historic Preservation Commission review step for visible...
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