Chicopee, MA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

The Residential C District rule in § 275-54(D)(3) sets required minimum front, side and rear yard setbacks by building type. Front yard: 25 feet to the closest portion of a one-, two- or three-family structure and 15 feet to a porch; 25 feet for multifamily, governmental services and special permit uses, with one setback on a corner lot allowed at 20 feet where there is no parking between the building and the street. Side yards: six feet for one-family, 10 feet for two-family and 15 feet for three-family, and 20 feet for multifamily, governmental services and special permit uses. Rear yards: 20 feet for one-, two- and three-family, 30 feet for multifamily, and 35 feet for governmental services and special permit uses.

The other residential districts print different numbers. Residential A (§ 275-52(C)) sets a minimum setback of 25 feet to foundation and 15 feet to a porch or other part of the building, and its yard table lists a six foot side yard and a 25 foot rear yard for permitted uses. Residential B (§ 275-53(C)) prints the same 25 and 15 foot front figures with a six foot side yard and a 20 foot rear yard. Both tables carry a note that a ground-story rear yard projection on the building can extend to within 15 feet of the rear lot line. Commercial A (§ 275-56) sets a 25 foot minimum setback.

In Residential A, B and C, a lot whose neighbors within 300 feet on each side, on the same side of the street, in the same block and district, sit closer to the street can build at the average alignment of those buildings, but every part of the building, porches included, must still be set back a minimum of 10 feet.

Corner lots have their own rule in § 275-42: setbacks apply on all facing streets, but for one- and two-family houses the front yard setback is observed on only one street, and the other street can use the average alignment of buildings within 300 feet on either side, at least 15 feet. For lots created after June 21, 2011, § 275-36 requires a new mid-block house to be aligned so its front wall is not behind the rear wall of any abutting residential structure, and the City Council can waive that by special permit.