Driveway rules are set by each Middlesex County city or town zoning bylaw. Cambridge, Somerville, Lowell, and Framingham regulate curb cuts, width, paving, and front-yard parking through local zoning boards.
Middlesex County has no countywide driveway standard. Each of the 54 cities and towns enforces its own zoning bylaw governing driveway width, surface material, setbacks, and curb cut permits. Cambridge Zoning Ordinance Article 6 limits residential curb cuts and prohibits paving over most required front yards. Somerville Zoning Ordinance restricts front-yard parking and requires Traffic and Parking Department approval for any new curb cut. Lowell, Framingham, and Newton require building or DPW permits before constructing or widening a driveway, and most municipalities cap impervious coverage in residential districts. State DOT approval is required for driveways connecting to state highways under 720 CMR 13.00. Historic district commissions in Concord, Lexington, and Cambridge review driveway paving materials in designated districts.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Middlesex County, MA
Middlesex County has no operational county government - it was abolished July 11, 1997 under M.G.L. c. 34B - so there is no countywide noise ordinance. Massa...
Middlesex County, MA
Middlesex County treats persistent barking as a nuisance. Animal control handles complaints. Dog licensing required statewide (MGL c.140 §155).
Middlesex County, MA
Middlesex County has no unified leaf blower ordinance. Regulations are set by individual cities and towns such as Cambridge, Newton, Arlington, and Lexington...
Middlesex County, MA
Middlesex County limits fence heights: typically 6 feet rear/side, 3.5 to 4 feet front. MA spite fence law (MGL c.49 §21) limits malicious fences over 6 feet.
Middlesex County, MA
Most Middlesex County municipalities prohibit barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing in residential zones under local zoning bylaws. Historic distr...
Middlesex County, MA
Middlesex County has no unified code. Each of the 54 municipalities (Cambridge, Lowell, Newton, Somerville, Framingham, etc.) sets its own fence permit rules...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Middlesex County.
See how other cities in Middlesex County handle driveway rules.
See how Lexington's driveway rules rules stack up against other locations.
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