Home occupations are allowed by right in Somerville residential districts with conditions on scale, employees, and impacts. The 2019 zoning overhaul expanded home business flexibility.
The Somerville Zoning Ordinance (comprehensively updated in 2019) allows home occupations by right in residential districts subject to clear use standards. A home occupation must be clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use, conducted entirely within the dwelling or an accessory structure, and not occupy more than 25 to 30 percent of the floor area. Non-resident employees are typically limited to one or two, and client visits must be by appointment. No exterior evidence of the business is permitted beyond a small sign if allowed. Uses prohibited as home occupations include auto repair, kennels, restaurants, and any use generating noxious odors, noise, traffic, or hazardous materials. Certain professional offices (law, accounting, consulting) are almost always allowed; regulated uses (medical, daycare) may need a special permit.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Middlesex County.
See how other cities in Middlesex County handle zoning restrictions.
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