Lynn, MA Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Agriculture use
- Permitted (P) by right in all 15 districts
- Hen limit
- 6 hens per lot, no roosters
- Honeybee hive limit
- 2 hives per parcel, 5-ft height cap
- Henhouse cap
- 8 ft tall, 2 sq ft floor area per hen
- Farm stand cap
- 200 sq ft, only at an urban farm site
- Permit needed
- Building Commissioner permit for hens/bees
- Fine
- $300 per violation, per day
Summary
Agriculture is a permitted, by-right use in every one of Lynn's fifteen zoning districts under the 2025 Zoning Ordinance, from the Civic district through R1-R4 residential, the business districts and both industrial districts. Backyard hens and honeybees are allowed as accessory uses citywide too, but only under a Building Commissioner permit with firm numeric caps.
Agriculture P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P ... 3. Keeping of animal requirements for agricultural purposes. Hens and honey bees are the only allowed animals to keep in Lynn for agricultural purposes and are subject to the following criteria. Other livestock are prohibited... a. No person shall keep hens or honeybees on their premises without obtaining a permit from the Building Commissioner... i. A maximum of 6 hens may be kept on a lot. No roosters may be kept... iv. Henhouses shall not exceed eight feet in height and have a minimum of two square feet per hen... ii. Hive limit: 2 per parcel iii. Hive height limit: 5 feet iv. Hive size limit: 20 cubic feet... 4. Farm stand requirements. Accessory farm stands shall not exceed 200 square feet in floor area and are only allowed at the same location as an urban farm.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
B's Table of Use Regulations lists "Agriculture" with a "P" (permitted by right) in all fifteen districts: CIV, R1, R2, R3, R4, B1, B2, BC, M1, M2, MV, RD, RT, IL and IH, so no special permit or variance is needed to farm a lot anywhere in the city. 3 allows only hens and honeybees, bans all other livestock outright, and requires a Building Commissioner permit before any hens or hives go on the property. A lot may hold a maximum of 6 hens (no roosters), and odor cannot be noticeable at the property line; the hens must stay on the property and are the responsibility of a resident of the dwelling.
Henhouses are capped at 8 feet tall with a minimum of 2 square feet of interior space per hen, cannot exceed the accessory-structure setbacks, and cannot sit in a front yard or a side yard that abuts a street. Honeybee keeping is capped at 2 hives per parcel, each no taller than 5 feet and no larger than 20 cubic feet, and the owner's contact information must be posted visibly on each hive for inspectors or the public. 4 lets a farm accessory to an urban farm operate a farm stand up to 200 square feet, but only at the same location as the urban farm and never encroaching on a sidewalk, driveway or other right-of-way.
Violations & Fines
Zoning violations, including keeping hens or bees without a Building Commissioner permit or exceeding the caps, are enforced under Section 11.B. Anyone may file a written complaint with the Building Commissioner, who investigates and orders correction; conviction carries a $300 fine per violation plus costs and legal fees, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense, though the Commissioner may instead pursue noncriminal disposition under G.L. c.40, § 21D.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens at my Lynn home?
Do I need a permit to grow crops on my property?
Can I sell produce from a farm stand?
How many beehives can I keep?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynn
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