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Town of Adams, MA
Berkshire County
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A. 
For purposes of this chapter, the Town of Adams is hereby divided into the following types of districts:
Residence District
R1, R2, R3, R4
Business District
B1, B2, B3
Industrial District
I, IP
Open Space District
OS
B. 
The boundaries of these districts are defined and bounded on the map titled “Zoning Map, Adams, Massachusetts” on file with the Town Clerk. That map and all explanatory matter thereon is hereby made a part of this chapter.
C. 
Except when labeled to the contrary, boundary or dimension lines shown approximately following or terminating at street, railroad, or utility easement center or layout lines, boundary or lot lines, or the channel of a stream shall be construed to be actually at those lines, and when shown approximately parallel, perpendicular or radial to such lines shall be construed to be actually parallel, perpendicular or radial thereto. When not locatable in any other way, boundaries shall be determined by scale from the map.
D. 
Where a district boundary line divides any lot existing at the time such line is adopted, the regulations for any district in which the lot has frontage on a street may be extended not more than 30 feet into the other district. Required lot dimensions shall be those of the district in which the lot has the greatest frontage.
E. 
When a lot in one ownership is situated in part in the Town of Adams and in part in an adjacent municipality, the provisions of this chapter shall be applied to that portion of the lot lying in the Town of Adams in the same manner as if the entire lot were situated therein.
A. 
No building or structure shall be erected or used and no premises shall be used except as set forth in the Use Regulation Schedule[1] or as exempted by § 125-7 or by statute. Symbols employed shall mean the following:
Yes
A permitted use
No
An excluded or prohibited use
SP
Use authorized under special permit as provided for in § 125-4 herein
SPR
Site plan review required by Planning Board
[1]
Editor's Note: The Use Regulation Schedule is included at the end of this chapter.
B. 
Where an activity might be classified under more than one of the uses on the Use Regulation Schedule, the more specific classification shall determine permissibility; if equally specific, the more restrictive shall govern.
C. 
Uses subject to site plan review (§ 125-19) are designated by the column headed SPR and further by § 125-19E.
A. 
All structures hereafter erected in any district shall be located on a lot such that all of the minimum requirements set forth in the Intensity of Use Schedule[1] are conformed with, except where specifically exempted by this chapter or by General Law.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Intensity of Use Schedule is included at the end of this chapter.
B. 
No existing lot shall be changed in size or shape except through a public taking so as to result in violation of the requirements set forth in the Intensity of Use Schedule.
C. 
Uncovered steps, stairs, sills, cornices, or similar architectural features shall not be included in computing floor area and need not observe yard requirements.
D. 
No fence, wall, hedge, shrubbery or other obstruction to vision (other than a principal building) between 2 1/2 and eight feet above the lowest elevation at the street line shall be permitted on a corner lot within the area of a triangle formed by a line joining points on each front lot line 20 feet from the intersection of the tangents of such streets.
E. 
No part of any lot used to satisfy the requirements of this chapter for a given building or use shall also be used to satisfy requirements for a different building or use.
F. 
Not more than one principal building shall be erected on a lot unless each building thereon is served by access functionally equivalent to that required by the Planning Board under Chapter 201, Subdivision Regulations, of the Town Code.
Dimensional controls for apartments and multifamily dwellings shall be as follows:
Minimum lot area
(square feet)
District
Apartments/Multifamily Dwellings
R2
25,000
R3
20,000
R4
10,000
Minimum lot area per dwelling unit (square feet)
R2
4,500
R3
3,000
R4
2,500
Minimum open space
All
See district
Minimum lot width and frontage (feet)
R2
125
R3
120
R4
70
Minimum front yard (feet)
All
20
Minimum side yard (feet)
R2
15
R3
10
R4
8
Minimum rear yard (feet)
R2
30
R3
20
R4
10
Maximum lot coverage
R2
25%
R3
30%
R4
35%