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

Town of Shirley’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings and structures inside Shirley town limits.

  • The construction, alteration, relocation, addition, demolition, or use must comply with the zoning bylaw or an applicable decision or special permit.

  “No building or structure shall be used, constructed, relocated, added to or demolished without a permit having been issued by the Building Inspector.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Shirley town limits.

  • The bylaw is adopted pursuant to M.G.L. c. 40A, as amended.

  “This Bylaw is adopted in accordance with and pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L., c.40A, as amended. This Bylaw shall be known and may be cited as the Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Shirley, Massachusetts.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures inside Shirley zoning districts.

  • Dimensional regulation terms are interpreted under § 2.10 and standards depend on the applicable zoning district.

  “Minimum Yard Setbacks: 1. Front: 40 feet 2. Side: 17 feet 3. Opposite Side: 23 feet 4. Rear: 50 feet”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots inside Shirley zoning districts.

  • Dimensional regulation terms are interpreted under § 2.10 and standards depend on the applicable zoning district.

  “Where the following terms appear in the dimensional regulations for any district, they shall be interpreted according to the following standards.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures inside Shirley zoning districts.

  • Height is measured from average ground elevation around exterior walls, subject to the § 2.10 definition and district maximums.

  “Height shall be measured as the vertical distance from the average ground elevation around the exterior walls of the structure to the highest point of the top story in the case of a flat roof, and to the mean height between the plate and the ridge in the case of a pitched roof, provided that the ridge of a pitched roof shall not be higher than 130% of the maximum height for the district.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Protected-use accessory dwelling units in Rural Residential, R-1, R-2, R-3, North Shirley Village Business, Mixed-Use, and Great Road Mixed-Use districts.

  • Allowed by right subject to § 4.5.
  • The ADU may not exceed 900 square feet or one-half of the principal dwelling's gross floor area, whichever is smaller.

  maximum gross floor area: <= 900 square feet (Or one-half of the principal dwelling gross floor area, whichever is smaller.)

  “Protected Use Accessory Dwelling Units are allowed by right, subject to the provisions of this section, in the following Zoning Districts in the Town of Shirley: Rural Residential, R-1, R-2, R-3, North Shirley Village Business District, Mixed-Use District, and the Great Road Mixed-Use District.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private on-site subsurface sewage disposal systems inside Shirley town limits.

  • A private system referenced by the sewer bylaw must comply with Title 5 of the State Environmental Code and the requirements of the Board of Health.

  “All subsurface sewage disposal systems proposed for installation in the Town of Shirley shall obtain a Construction Works Permit from the Board of Health”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private on-site sanitation for buildings in the Shirley Sewer Service Area.

  • It is permitted only under the Board of Health variance or the more-than-300-foot election, and only while the system complies with Title 5 and Board of Health requirements.

  “may elect to connect the building to the Sewer System or to maintain a private on-site subsurface sewage disposal or septic system which complies with the requirements of Title 5 of the State Environmental Code and the requirements of the Board of Health, but only for so long as the system continues to comply with such requirements.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Buildings within the Shirley Sewer Service Area inside Shirley town limits.

  • Except for the stated exceptions, existing buildings must connect within two years after service becomes available.
  • A building constructed after sewer becomes available must connect before the Building Inspector issues a certificate of occupancy.
  • The Board of Health may grant a variance for drainage impediments or a Title 5-compliant private system.
  • A building more than 300 feet from the sideline of a street or right-of-way containing the sewer may elect connection or retain a compliant private system.

  connection deadline after availability: 2 years (Except as provided in Article XXVI § 5(A)(ii).) · optional-connection distance: > 300 feet (Measured from the sideline of a street or right-of-way in which the sewer system is constructed.)

  “Except as provided in Subparagraph ii, connect said building to the Sewer System within two (2) years of the date when said Sewer System is available for such connection.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agriculture in all Shirley zoning districts.

  • Agriculture is as defined in M.G.L. c. 128, § 1A and is allowed as of right only on more than five acres.

  land area: > 5 acres (Agriculture as defined in M.G.L. c. 128, § 1A.)

  “Agriculture as defined in M.G.L. c.128, Section 1A, is allowed as a matter of right on more than five acres of land.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and low-impact development inside Shirley town limits.

  • For qualifying low-impact development, Planning Board approval of a definitive plan is required after concept special-permit approval.
  • Where Subdivision Control Law approval is required, the Planning Board will seek to consolidate definitive subdivision approval.

  “Approval of a LID Definitive Plan by the Planning Board is required following approval of the LID Concept Special Permit.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  All structural and non-structural development in Shirley's Flood Plain District.

  • Development must comply with M.G.L. c. 131, § 40, the applicable flood-resistant-construction building-code section, DEP wetlands regulations, DEP inland-wetlands restriction, and Title 5.
  • Variances from referenced state regulations may only be granted under those regulations' variance procedures.

  “All development in the district, including structural and non-structural activities, whether permitted by right or by special permit, must be in compliance with Chapter 131, Section 40 of the Massachusetts General Laws and with the following:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Shirley town limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Shirley town limits.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Shirley town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New residential construction inside Shirley town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Shirley residential districts.

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Shirley means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.