Southborough, MA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Section 174-12(B) governs parking and driveway surfaces. Required vehicular use areas must be paved with bituminous concrete unless they serve a single-family dwelling, so the bituminous paving requirement in this subsection does not reach a single-family driveway while it does reach a business lot. The Planning Board can approve an alternative surface once it determines that drainage, erosion, siltation, dust and appearance will be satisfactorily controlled. Where an alternative is authorized, access drives must still be paved with bituminous concrete or other pavement authorized by the Planning Board for at least 15 feet inside of the street or property line, unless the street itself is not paved, and grading and materials must keep surface materials from being carried into the street. If there are eight or more parking spaces, individual spaces must be identified with segmented bumper strips or similar permanent means.

Front-yard parking is limited in § 174-12(E): not more than 25% of the required parking spaces, other than for dwellings, can be located in the required front yard. Dwellings must provide two spaces for each unit containing one or two bedrooms and three spaces for each unit containing three or more bedrooms.

Higher-volume driveways face geometry rules in § 174-12(H). A driveway likely to carry more than 200 trips per average business day must meet the table unless the Board of Appeals grants a special permit for an alternative configuration: a maximum width of 24 feet on Route 9 and 18 feet at other locations unless a greater width is justified by engineered design, and a center-line separation from an intersecting street sideline of 150 feet on Route 9 and 50 feet elsewhere.

The connection to the road needs a Town permit. Under § 152-5, no person can construct a driveway curb cut or roadway curb cut within a Town way without a written permit from the Highway Superintendent. The permit holder must restore the way, including any sidewalk or grassed area, the Superintendent can require a bond and can revoke the permit at any time.