MONTAGUE – A zoning bylaw overhaul adopted this week by the town was the first of its kind since the bylaws were created in 1970s, according to Town Planner Walter Ramsey.
For the past two years, the Planning Board and Town Planner Walter Ramsey reviewed the zoning bylaws and revisions, “bringing them into the modern era,” said Ramsey.
Thke changes were adopted after some discussion at a Special Town Meeting Tuesday.
“Zoning bylaws regulate the size of new building lots, the types of land uses and dictates how much space is required between buildings and property lines. It also regulates things like parking spaces and signage,” Ramsey said.
Major changes in the bylaws included rezoning the agriculture-forestry district, easing restrictions on multi-family dwellings and others.
The agriculture-forestry district, which Ramsey said is a substantial part of town, had half-acre lots and now requuires one-acre lots to encourage farmland preservation while preserving land value. The lot size will double, but the frontage will stay the same – retaining the value for farmers, and also encouraging open space residential design, according to Ramsey.
Restrictions were eased on two-family and multi-family dwellings and accessory apartments to remove barriers for new housing. These will provide more options for shrinking household sizes, non-traditional living arrangements and an aging population.
There are several locations that will be rezoned for mixed use and development to encourage more development in areas like Montague Center and Millers Falls.
Ramsey said another improvement in the bylaws was open space design and planned unit developments, which specify for both the planning board and developers the expectations for development like residential housing above a business or other mixed developments.
“These are a big improvement over the last set of bylaws and we will continue to improve upon them over time,” Ramsey said.
Residents with concerns or proposed changes to the zoning bylaws can bring them to the Planning Board, which would hold a public hearing. Any changes to the bylaws would then need to be approved by the voters at a town meeting.