Boxborough News: Planning Board Proposes Zoning Bylaw Amendment for Accessory Dwelling Units to Conform to Affordable Homes Act
At its meeting on Monday, April 7, the Boxborough Planning Board conducted a public hearing to consider a zoning bylaw amendment for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that would update the town’s existing bylaw language and bring it into compliance with a new state law, the Affordable Homes Act, which was signed into law in August 2024.
Voters at Annual Town Meeting (ATM) in May will decide whether or not to approve the proposed amendments with a majority vote.
This will be the third time in as many years that an ADU bylaw has come before Boxborough voters at ATM. In 2023, voters passed revisions that increased the number of accessory apartments that can be constructed and permitted each year from five to ten, and they also approved an increase in the maximum size of an ADU from 600 to 1300 square feet. Other changes included eliminating restrictions on the number of rooms allowed, who is allowed to live in the unit, and parking requirements.
After a subsequent review by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the Town was notified that the limitation of ten permits per year for accessory apartments was not allowed. At ATM 2024, voters approved amendments that removed the ten unit limit and “cleaned up” conflicting language in the bylaw that would have prevented ADUs in accessory structures (as opposed to only within the principal dwelling).
The Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act of 2024 requires that towns allow accessory dwelling units in all districts that allow single family homes. The purpose of the legislation is to address the housing shortage in Massachusetts by relaxing the many restrictions that cities and towns have placed on accessory units.
Boxborough’s ADU bylaw, as approved by Town Meeting in 2024, is now considered by the State to be “overly restrictive” and does not meet the requirements of the Affordable Homes Act. Article 52 on the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting Warrant is an amendment to change sections of the Zoning Bylaw for ADUs and bring it into compliance with current state law.
This article has been condensed for print. Read the full version of this article at www.BoxboroughNews.org. Subscribe to the free weekly newsletter from Boxborough News to read all of our articles: https://www.boxboroughnews.org/subscribe.
Voters at Annual Town Meeting (ATM) in May will decide whether or not to approve the proposed amendments with a majority vote.
This will be the third time in as many years that an ADU bylaw has come before Boxborough voters at ATM. In 2023, voters passed revisions that increased the number of accessory apartments that can be constructed and permitted each year from five to ten, and they also approved an increase in the maximum size of an ADU from 600 to 1300 square feet. Other changes included eliminating restrictions on the number of rooms allowed, who is allowed to live in the unit, and parking requirements.
After a subsequent review by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the Town was notified that the limitation of ten permits per year for accessory apartments was not allowed. At ATM 2024, voters approved amendments that removed the ten unit limit and “cleaned up” conflicting language in the bylaw that would have prevented ADUs in accessory structures (as opposed to only within the principal dwelling).
The Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act of 2024 requires that towns allow accessory dwelling units in all districts that allow single family homes. The purpose of the legislation is to address the housing shortage in Massachusetts by relaxing the many restrictions that cities and towns have placed on accessory units.
Boxborough’s ADU bylaw, as approved by Town Meeting in 2024, is now considered by the State to be “overly restrictive” and does not meet the requirements of the Affordable Homes Act. Article 52 on the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting Warrant is an amendment to change sections of the Zoning Bylaw for ADUs and bring it into compliance with current state law.
This article has been condensed for print. Read the full version of this article at www.BoxboroughNews.org. Subscribe to the free weekly newsletter from Boxborough News to read all of our articles: https://www.boxboroughnews.org/subscribe.