The Boston Zoning Code is administered by BPDA as a separate document from the Code of Ordinances, organized by neighborhood articles plus citywide standards under MGL Ch. 665 of 1956.
Unlike most Massachusetts municipalities operating under MGL Ch. 40A, Boston has its own zoning enabling act (Chapter 665 of the Acts of 1956) administered by the Boston Planning and Development Agency. The Boston Zoning Code is organized as numbered Articles: citywide Articles 1-9 plus neighborhood-specific articles (e.g., Article 51 Allston/Brighton, Article 53 Roxbury, Article 65 Dorchester, Article 66 Hyde Park). Use, dimensional, and overlay regulations vary widely by article. The Zoning Board of Appeal hears variances and conditional uses. PLAN initiatives like PLAN: East Boston and Squares + Streets rezoning periodically modernize neighborhood-level standards.
Construction or use without conforming Boston Zoning Code approval triggers ISD stop-work orders, BPDA cease-and-desist letters, and Zoning Board of Appeal enforcement with fines up to $300 per day.
Boston, MA
Boston's Inclusionary Development Policy requires market-rate residential projects of ten-plus units to set aside 13-20% as income-restricted affordable hous...
Boston, MA
Boston's Zoning Code establishes setback requirements that vary by zoning district. Residential districts typically require front yard setbacks of 15-25 feet...
See how Boston's specific plans overview rules stack up against other locations.
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