(1) 
Intent - This Zoning Bylaw is intended to give reasonable consideration to the character of Falmouth and the individual zoning districts and their suitability for particular uses with a view of providing direction to the land development policies and regulations of the Town.
(2) 
Purpose - The purpose of this bylaw is as follows:
a. 
To protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the community;
b. 
To lessen congestion in the streets;
c. 
To secure safety from fire, flood, panic, and other dangers;
d. 
To prevent overcrowding of land;
e. 
To avoid undue concentration of population;
f. 
To encourage housing for persons of all income levels;
g. 
To facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water supply, drainage, schools, parks, open space, and other public requirements;
h. 
To conserve the value of land and buildings, and to prevent blight;
i. 
To protect and enhance the conservation of natural resources and the environment;
j. 
To encourage appropriate use of land throughout Falmouth, including consideration of the recommendations of the Local Comprehensive Plan adopted by the Falmouth Planning Board and the Regional Policy Plan adopted by the Cape Cod Commission; and,
k. 
To preserve and increase amenities, pursuant to MGL c. 40A, c. 40B and c. 41, as amended, and Article 89 of the Amendments to the Constitution.
This bylaw is enacted under the authority of Article 89 of the Articles of Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in accordance with MGL c. 40A, as amended.
This bylaw is supplementary to other laws and bylaws affecting the use, height, and area of buildings and structures and the use of premises. Where this bylaw or any portion thereof imposes a greater restriction than is imposed by other regulations, permits, easements, covenants, or other laws or bylaws, the provisions of this bylaw shall control.
(1) 
Amendment process - No amendment to this bylaw shall be made except by a vote of Town Meeting and only after the zoning article is properly submitted to, and a public hearing is held by, the Planning Board in accordance with the procedures of MGL c. 40A, § 5.
(2) 
Filing fee - Any person filing a petition for an amendment to the Zoning Bylaws or Zoning Map shall pay the filing fee. The filing fee shall be published in the Rules and Regulations of the Planning Board and shall be equal to the cost of publication of the required public notice.
(3) 
Repetitive petition - No proposed amendment which has been unfavorably acted upon by Town Meeting shall be considered by Town Meeting within two years after the date of the unfavorable action unless the adoption of that amendment is recommended in the final report of the Planning Board.
(4) 
Zoning Map amendment notice - Amendments to any zoning district shown on the Official Zoning Map shall require that notice of the Planning Board public hearing required by MGL c. 40A, § 5, be sent by mail, postage prepaid, to all parties in interest in accordance with MGL c. 40A, § 11, when those amendments involve the rezoning of 10 or fewer parcels of land. When greater than 10 parcels of land are proposed for rezoning, notice shall be accomplished by publishing a map in the local newspaper with the public hearing notice required by MGL c. 40A, § 5.
(5) 
Effective date - The effective date of an amendment to this bylaw, subject to its approval by the Attorney General as required by MGL c. 40, § 32, is the date on which the amendment was voted by Town Meeting.
The provisions of this bylaw are severable and the invalidity of any provision or section shall not invalidate any other provision or section thereof.