Building height caps come from each Essex town's zoning bylaw under the Massachusetts Zoning Act, not a county code. A 35-foot maximum in residential districts is the standard across the North Shore.
Essex towns cap building height in feet, stories, or both within each zoning district. Thirty-five feet is the standard residential ceiling; commercial and industrial districts allow more. Height is measured from grade to the roof midpoint or peak as the bylaw defines. Rooftop mechanical equipment, chimneys, and steeples are exempted from the cap. Exceeding the limit requires a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
An over-height structure fails inspection, loses its occupancy permit, and must be cut down to the district limit or granted a variance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Swampscott, MA
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See how Swampscott's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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