Political signs on private property are allowed in all Suffolk County municipalities with size limits. Boston Zoning Code Article 11 limits residential temporary signs to 6 sq ft. Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop permit political signs on private property without permits. State law (MGL c. 54, §65) bars political signs on public property and campaigning within 150 feet of a polling place on election day.
Political signs in Suffolk County enjoy strong First Amendment protection following Reed v. Town of Gilbert (576 U.S. 155, 2015), which struck down content-based distinctions in sign codes. Cities may enforce content-neutral size, placement, and time regulations. Boston Zoning Code Article 11 regulates temporary signs generally: residential temporary signs cannot exceed 6 square feet in one-family/two-family districts or 12 square feet in higher-density districts. Chelsea Zoning §34-290 treats political signs as temporary and allows them on private property without permits, with size limits similar to Boston. Revere §17.16.300 permits political signs up to 6 sq ft per face in residential districts. Winthrop Zoning Bylaw §17.13 allows temporary signs up to 6 sq ft. None of the four cities may prohibit political signs outright or regulate them based on message content. State law adds restrictions: MGL c. 54, §65 prohibits political campaigning (signs, literature distribution, solicitation) within 150 feet of a polling place on election day. MGL c. 55, §18 and §39 regulate campaign-finance disclosures on signs. Signs in public rights-of-way, on utility poles, or on public property are universally prohibited — state law MGL c. 85, §8A and local ordinances treat these as litter subject to removal. Most cities require sign removal within 7-10 days after the election.
Signs on public property/utility poles: immediate removal by DPW, $50-$200 fines. Oversized signs: written notice, reduction required. Polling place violation (150 ft): $50-$500 fine under MGL c. 54, §65. Failure to remove post-election: per-day fines.
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Chelsea, MA
Construction noise regulated under Chelsea Code Ch. 16 and MassDEP 310 CMR 7.10. Standard hours are Mon–Fri 7 AM–6 PM, Sat 8 AM–5 PM; no construction on Sund...
Chelsea, MA
Barking dogs addressed under Chelsea Code Ch. 4 (Animals) and general nuisance provisions. Excessive barking is a civil nuisance complaint under MGL c. 140. ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea enforces noise complaints through Chapter 16 (Miscellaneous Offenses). No single statewide decibel limit applies; the city relies on MassDEP 310 CMR ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea is in the flight path of Boston Logan International Airport (about 1 mile west). Aircraft noise is governed by federal FAA regulations and Massport; ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea has a citywide residential parking sticker program under Code §13-4.2. The Chelsea Waterfront District requires sticker parking 8 AM–6 PM Mon–Fri. St...
Chelsea, MA
Abandoned vehicles on public ways subject to state law MGL c. 90 §22C (72-hour threshold). Chelsea enforces through its ISD and Police Department. Inoperable...
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