Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Ashfield, Massachusetts

Town of Ashfield’s own rules

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  All land inside Ashfield town limits: one base district plus a Flood Hazard overlay.

  • Flood Hazard District is an overlay covering all areas designated as zone A on the town's flood insurance rate maps dated September 27, 1985.

  “a. the entire town of ashfield is a rural residential and agricultural district.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling lots in the entire town (the single rural residential and agricultural district).

  • Only one dwelling or other principal building or use per lot.
  • Lots that are pre-existing lawfully non-conforming are excepted.
  • Minimum lot area excludes land under permanent water bodies and land within public ways.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres (pre-existing lawfully non-conforming lots) · minimum lot frontage: >= 200 feet (pre-existing lawfully non-conforming lots)

  “a minimum lot shall have: 1. an area of at least two (2) acres within the town of ashfield and shall not include land under permanent water bodies, and land within public ways, and 2. a lot frontage of at least two hundred (200) continuous feet within the town of ashfield.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings on lots in the entire town (the single rural residential and agricultural district).

  • Setbacks are measured from the front, side and rear lot lines to any building.

  front setback: >= 25 feet · side setback: >= 25 feet · rear setback: >= 25 feet

  “b. setbacks 1. the minimum distance between the front lot line and any building shall be twenty-five (25) feet; 2. the minimum distance between the side lot line and any building shall be twenty-five (25) feet; and 3. the minimum distance between the rear lot line and any building shall be twenty-five (25) feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Any building or structure in the entire town (the single rural residential and agricultural district).

  • Height is measured above the average grade within twenty-five (25) feet of the building or structure.

  maximum building height: <= 50 feet

  “d. no building or structure shall exceed fifty (50) feet in height above the average grade within twenty-five (25) feet of the building or structure.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Temporary use of a mobile home or temporary dwelling during construction of a permanent residence in Ashfield town.

  • Construction must start within six months of the granting of a building permit.
  • Temporary dwelling or mobile home must conform to the bylaws and is subject to the state sanitary code.
  • Permitted for no more than three years from the date construction is commenced.

  maximum temporary use period: <= 3 years (during construction of a permanent residence)

  “2. mobile homes will be otherwise permitted to rest in the town of ashfield for not more than six (6) months in any calendar year.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Septic systems (Title 5) inside Ashfield town: Ashfield Board of Health, with services contracted to FRCOG's Cooperative Public Health Service.

  • Services list shows who administers Title 5 work; the permit requirement itself was not verified (see septic_permit unknown).

  “title 5 (septic) and private wells this includes: septic system design review, system inspection and construction; soil evaluation; the permitting of septage haulers; and the drilling and decommissioning of private wells, among other tasks.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Ashfield or Franklin County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits for construction in Ashfield town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Ashfield town
• Building code adopted — Building code in Ashfield town
• Inspections — Building inspections in Ashfield town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy in Ashfield town

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.