Zoning Bylaws - Evaluation and Revision Work

Why are we looking at the Town's Zoning Bylaws?

In 2023, the Town Received a legislative earmark in the amount of $75,000 to review and revise the Town's current Zoning Bylaws, review subdivision regulations and draft a new MBTA Zoning Bylaw to comply with the new requirements as a MBTA rural adjacent community.  Earlier this year, the Town contracted with Central Mass Regional Planning Commission ("CMRPC") to assist us with the process and work.  We have an unofficial steering group, not a public body, which meets monthly with CMRPC and works to keep the project on track with a completion date of June 30, 2024.  The steering group consists of the planning board chair, zoning board chair, building commissioner, town services coordinator, economic development committee member, and the town administrator.

As we progress through this process, our goal is to have recorded public information sessions to present new information, record legally required Planning Board public hearings, and provide a location for relevant information.  

Step 1 - MBTA Proposed DRAFT Zoning Bylaw (November 2023)
The first bylaw we have worked with CMRPC to tackle is a new MBTA Zoning Bylaw.  In accordance with the new law, MGL Ch 40A S 3A, Paxton is a MBTA Rural Adjacent community and is therefore required to have a MBTA Zoning Bylaw in place  Information regarding the new Mass General Law (MGL) along with various guidance documents can be found here on the State's website.  

Public Information Session
The Planning Board will be hosting a public information session on the first draft of the MBTA Zoning Bylaw on Tuesday, November 21st at 7pm at the Training Room at the Public Safety Complex in Paxton.  After the initial meeting, we will post a link to the video on this page.  With further discussion and any revisions, the Planning Board will eventually place this item on their agenda for a legally required public hearing.  A link to the Public Information Session Can be found here.  Slides from the presentation can be reviewed here.