Building Setbacks & Zoning in Somerville, MA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Somerville, Massachusetts, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Somerville's Zoning Ordinance sets yard setbacks for the Detached House, the city's most common residential building type, in the Neighborhood Residence district: a 10-to-20-foot front setback, a 20-foot minimum rear setback, and a minimum 5-foot side setback under Section 3.1.8.b. Corner and driveway configurations shift the side setback and require larger combined side yards.
Somerville House Yard Setback Minimums
Some RestrictionsSomerville Zoning Ordinance § 3.1.8.b
3.1.8 Detached House ... Primary Front Setback1 (min/max) 10 ft 20 ft ... Secondary Front Setback1 (min/max) 10 ft 20 ft ... Side Setback (min) ... No Driveway Access 5 ft ... Side or Rear Driveway Access 5 ft ... Front Driveway Access 3 ft ... Sum of Side Setbacks (min) ... No Driveway Access 10 ft ... Side or Rear Driveway Access 10 ft ... Front Driveway Access 12 ft ... Rear Setback (min) 20...
Structure Height Limits
Somerville's Zoning Ordinance caps the city's most common house type, the Detached House, at 2.5 stories and a 12-foot maximum story height in the Neighborhood Residence district under Section 3.1.8.c. Roofs are limited to flat, gable, gambrel, hip or mansard styles, and half-story ceiling height cannot exceed 12 feet under Section 2.4.4.
Somerville Detached House Height Limits
Some RestrictionsSomerville Zoning Ordinance § 3.1.8.c
3.1.8 Detached House ... c. Massing & Height ... Story Height (min/max) 10 ft 12 ft ... Number of Stories (max) 2.5 ... Roof Type Flat, Gable, Gambrel, Hip, or Mansard
Lot Coverage Limits
Somerville's Zoning Ordinance caps lot coverage, the share of a lot covered by buildings, structures and impervious surface, on a per-building-type basis under §2.4.2.c.i. A Cottage in the Neighborhood Residential district tops out at 60%, a Semi-Detached Triple Decker in Urban Residential at 65%, and mid-rise types like the General Building can reach 90%, so the cap depends entirely on district and building type chosen.
Somerville Zoning Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsSomerville Zoning Ordinance § 2.4.2.c.i (Lot Coverage)
i. Lot Coverage a). The maximum area of a lot that is permitted to be covered by the combination of principal buildings, accessory buildings, accessory structures and impermeable surfaces. b). The lot coverage of a structure is measured from the outside of the exterior walls at the ground story, including covered porches and other building components. c). The lot coverage (and permeable area) o...