Zoning Bylaws

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Zoning Bylaw

Download the Entire Zoning Bylaw (as of May 2024). The document includes a linked Table of Contents and external hyperlinks to promote usability.

The Zoning Map is also available to download.

A printed copy of the Zoning Bylaw can be purchased for $10 (check or money order) at the Department of Planning and Community Development or the Department of Inspectional Services.

Zoning Bylaw Amendments from 2024 Annual Town Meeting

2024 Annual Town Meeting voted to approve Articles 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, and 33 of the Town Meeting Warrant. More information can be found on the 2024 Town Meeting page and in the Redevelopment Board Report to 2024 Annual Town Meeting.

The Attorney General has reviewed the changes and approved some bylaws that will go into effect on October 3, 2024. You can read an overview of the changes that have been approved and find links to the full text of the changes. Other Town and Zoning Bylaws are still being reviewed and we expect a response by November 10, 2024.

Zoning Bylaw Amendments related to the MBTA Communities Act

The Attorney General and EOHLC (the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities) have approved the changes made to the Town's Zoning Bylaw in the two articles below. The changes are in effect and reflected in the Zoning Bylaw.

Fall 2023 Special Town Meeting approved Article 12, MBTA Communities Overlay District, which creates Multi-Family Housing Overlay Districts to allow for multi-family construction by right. More details can be found in the Redevelopment Board Report to 2023 Special Town Meeting.
Spring 2024 Special Town Meeting approved Article 3, Amendment of the Zoning Map Adopting the Multi-Family Housing Overlay Districts and Amendment of Zoning Bylaw, which updates the Zoning Map with the new overlay districts and lists each parcel included in the districts for clear identification. More details can be found in the Redevelopment Board's Report to 2024 Special Town Meeting.

History of the Zoning Bylaw

The last time the Zoning Bylaw was significantly updated was in 1975 and it has been amended at almost every Town Meeting since then. The Arlington Master Plan adopted in 2015 recommended recodifying and updating the Zoning Bylaw to make it more clear, updated, and consistent. It stated that “As a first step in any zoning revisions following a new master plan, communities should focus on instituting a good regulatory foundation: structure, format, ease of navigation, updated language and definitions, and statutory and case law consistency."

In 2018, following a year and a half of meetings, interviews, and public engagement, the Town of Arlington recodified its Zoning Bylaw. The recodified Zoning Bylaw was adopted at Special Town Meeting on February 12, 2018, and it now includes amendments through 2023 Annual and Special Town Meetings, and 2024 Special Town Meeting.

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