Environmental Rules in Somerville, MA (2026)
4 verified environmental rules for Somerville, Massachusetts, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Somerville is an EPA MS4 community. Projects disturbing 1 acre need NPDES permits; local review kicks in at 500 sq ft of new impervious surface.
Somerville Stormwater Management Rules
Heavy RestrictionsMass. Gen. Laws ch. 131, § 40 (Wetlands Protection Act — Stormwater Discharges Affecting Wetlands, Riverfront Areas, and Lands Subject to Flooding) (Massachusetts General Laws; applies to all cities/towns within the county)
Section 40. No person shall remove, fill, dredge or alter any bank, riverfront area, fresh water wetland, coastal wetland, beach, dune, flat, marsh, meadow or swamp bordering on the ocean or on any estuary, creek, river, stream, pond, or lake, or any land under said waters or any land subject to tidal action, coastal storm flowage, or flooding, other than in the course of maintaining, repairing...
Erosion Control
Construction sites in Somerville must install silt fence, stabilized entrances, and inlet protection before earthwork. Violations are $300 per day.
Somerville Erosion and Sediment Control Rules
Heavy RestrictionsFlood Zones
Parts of Somerville near the Mystic River and Alewife Brook are FEMA Zone AE. New construction in the floodplain must elevate 2 feet above BFE.
Somerville Flood Zone Rules
Heavy RestrictionsGrading & Drainage
Grading over 50 cubic yards or that changes drainage patterns requires DPW review in Somerville. Roof and yard drainage may not discharge to neighbors.
Somerville Grading and Drainage Rules
Some RestrictionsLooking for Middlesex County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Somerville city rules.
Environmental Rules in Middlesex County →