~ 171-6. Districts enumerated.
For the purpose of this chapter, the Town of Great Barrington is hereby divided into the following districts:
A. Residential Districts.
R-1-A One-Family Medium-Density Residential
R-1-B One-Family High-Density Residential
R-2 Acreage Residential
R-3 General Residential
R-4 Large-Acreage Residential
B. Business Districts.
B Downtown Business
B-1 Neighborhood Business
B-2 General Business
B-2A Transitional Business
DBP Downtown Business Parking [Added 5-7-2001 ATM, Art. 33]
C. Industrial Districts.
I Light Industry
D. Other Districts. [Amended 5-6-1991 ATM, Art. 11]
FP Floodplain
WP Quality Protection [Amended 5-15-2006 ATM, Art. 14]
WTOD Wireless Telecommunications Overlay District
[Added 5-17-2004 ATM, Art. 17]
~ 171-7. District locations; Zoning Map.
A. The location and boundaries of the zoning districts are hereby established as shown on the map entitled the "Zoning Map of the Town of Great Barrington, Massachusetts," and dated May 1, 1974, bearing the signatures of the members of the Planning Board and being on file in the office of the Town Clerk, which map, with all explanatory matter thereon, is hereby made a part of this chapter.
B. Floodplain and Water Quality Protection Districts shall be considered as overlying other districts as shown generally on the Zoning Map of the Town of Great Barrington as a recognition of the special hazards that exist in such areas. [Amended 5-6-1991 ATM, Art. 11; 5-15-2006 ATM, Art. 14]
C. Wireless Telecommunications Overlay District. The Wireless Telecommunications Overlay District (henceforth "Overlay District" or "WTOD") is an overlay district mapped over other districts. Its purpose is to set forth the locations in the Town of Great Barrington where personal wireless service facilities and towers (which include both the towers and other structures on which antennas and other transmitting and receiving equipment may be mounted, as well as the antennas and other transmitting and receiving equipment themselves) are allowed. It modifies and where there is inconsistency, supersedes the regulations of those other districts. Except as so modified or superseded, the regulations of the underlying districts remain in effect. [Added 5-17-2004 ATM, Art. 17]
~ 171-8. District boundaries.
A. The district boundary lines shall be as shown on the Zoning Map and indicated by the dimensions entered thereon.
B. For purposes of interpretation of district boundaries as shown on the Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:
(1) Boundaries which appear to follow the center lines of streets, railroads or streams shall be construed to follow such lines.
(2) Boundaries indicated as following shorelines of lakes or ponds shall be construed to follow such shorelines.
(3) Boundaries indicated as approximately following plotted lot lines shall be construed as following such lot lines.
(4) Boundaries which appear to run parallel to the features indicated above shall be so construed. Distance not specifically indicated on the Zoning Map shall be determined by the scale of the map.
(5) Where a district boundary appears to parallel a street line and no dimension is given, the boundary shall be interpreted as being 150 feet distant from said street line.
C. Where a district boundary line divides a lot in single ownership at the time such district is established, the Board of Appeals may permit as a special exception the extension of the regulations for either portion of the lot not to exceed 20 feet beyond the district line into the remaining portion of the lot.
D. In cases of uncertainty or disagreement concerning the exact location of a district boundary line or where physical features existing on the ground are at variance with those shown on the Zoning Map or in other circumstances not covered herein, the district boundary shall be determined by the Board of Appeals.
~ 171-9. Purpose of districts; general regulations.
A. Residential Districts.
(1) R-1 Districts (including R-1-A One-Family Medium-Density and R-1-B One-Family High-Density Residential). The R-1 Districts are designed to protect the residential environment of those areas within which existing or probable future subdivisions establish residential neighborhoods with a suitable environment for family life. The R-1-B Districts are located on relatively level areas on the edges of commercial or industrial centers, and the R-1-A Districts are further removed from such centers and, in general, on land with a more rolling topography, where larger lots, between 10,000 square feet and one acre, are the practice and appear justified for any new land development. Nonresidential uses are limited to those serving the neighborhood.
(2) R-2 Districts (Acreage Residential). The R-2 District is designed to maintain the open character of those portions of the town that are expected to remain predominantly residential in so far as any structures are concerned, but also includes large forest reservations, sources of water supply, agricultural areas and institutional uses requiring large sites. Much of the district is hilly and wooded. The greatest portion of the town is mapped in this district, but portions of it may be considered for rezoning as portions of one of the R-1 Districts if the future growth of the town justifies it.
(3) R-3 Districts (General Residential). The R-3 Districts are designed to include those areas close to business and industrial districts which are now developed with a mixture of one-family dwellings, two-family dwellings and, in some cases, multifamily dwellings. They would permit the construction of relatively low-cost homes but are provided with the same neighborhood protection that is afforded R-1 Districts through a strict limitation of nonresidential uses.
(4) R-4 Districts (Large Acreage Residential). The R-4 District is designed to maintain the open character of those portions of the town which include sources of water supply, large forest areas, agricultural areas and institutional uses requiring large sites. The R-4 District is intended to encourage large-acreage land use, including low-density residential use, in order to protect watershed areas and reduce the chances of water pollution by maintaining as much as possible the natural surface drainage in the area.
B. Business Districts.
(1) B-1 Districts (Neighborhood Business). The B-1 District is designed to provide convenient retail and personal-service establishments for the day-to-day needs of a small tributary area with a minimum impact upon the surrounding residential development. It must be large enough to supply stable, attractive shopping areas but small enough to be subordinated to its surroundings. While some of its patrons will be within walking distance, it should have generous provisions for accessory parking spaces.
(2) B-2 Districts (General Business). The B-2 District is designed not only to accommodate the central business area serving both Great Barrington and surrounding towns but also to be suitable for commercial districts along highways. The latter are laid out to provide locations for establishments catering to the motoring public and for new businesses desiring sites larger than those available in the business center.
(3) B-2A Districts (Transitional Business). The B-2A District is designed to provide a transition from B-2 (General Business) Zones to residential zones, especially at the outskirts of town along major highways. Permitted uses include commercial, professional and agricultural endeavors that can be conducted in proximity to a residential district without unduly intruding upon its residential character. No metal-clad or plastic-clad buildings shall be allowed, and all structures shall be in keeping with the environs. Premises shall be landscaped.
(4) DBP District (Downtown Business Parking). The DBP District is designed to provide municipal and/or commercial parking facilities while protecting the traditional character of the central business area. [Added 5-7-2001 ATM, Art. 33]
(a) Description. The DBP District shall consist of the land shown on Assessor's Map 19, Lot Nos. 140, 141, 142, 142A,143, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, 149A, 150, 150A, 151, and portions of 152 and shown on the map entitled "Downtown Business Parking District, May 2001," on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
(b) Dimensional requirements and permitted uses. Permitted uses and dimensional requirements in the Downtown Business Parking District shall be the same as in the B-2 District, except that for commercial parking lots (as defined in ~ 171-5) and any commercial building(s) attached to a commercial parking lot, located within the Downtown Business Parking District, the schedule of dimensional requirements for such commercial parking lots and attached commercial building(s) shall be the same as in the Downtown Business District.
C. Industrial Districts.
(1) I Districts (Light Industry). The I Districts are designed to provide locations for light manufacturing activities which may bring employment to the town without detracting from its natural beauty and predominantly residential character and to provide for the storage and distribution of fuel and building supplies essential to the welfare of the town.
D. Other districts.
(1) FP District (Floodplain). The FP District has been established to provide that lands in the town subject to seasonal or periodic flooding shall not be used for residential or other purposes in such a manner as to endanger the health or safety of the occupants thereof, or of the public, and to assure the continuation of the natural flow pattern of the watercourses within the town in order to provide adequate and safe floodwater storage capacity to protect persons and property against the hazards of flood inundation. It is further intended to protect, preserve and maintain the water table and water recharge areas within the town so as to preserve present and potential water supplies for the public health and safety of the residents of the town.
(2) [Added 5-6-1991 ATM, Art. 11] Watershed Protection Districts. Watershed Protection Districts are established in the Town of Great Barrington for the following purposes:
(a) To preserve and protect the lakes, ponds, streams, brooks, rills, marshes, swamps, bogs and other water bodies and watercourses in the town.
(b) To protect, preserve and maintain the water supplies and water recharge areas within the town, so as to preserve present and potential sources of groundwater and surface water supply for the public health and safety.
(c) To protect the community from the detrimental use and development of land and waters within the watershed protection district.
(d) To conserve the watershed areas of the Town of Great Barrington for the health, safety, welfare and enjoyment of its people now and for the future.
(3) Wireless Telecommunication Overlay District (WTOD). The Overlay District is established in the Town of Great Barrington for the following purposes.
(a) Purpose. The Overlay District is intended to protect the scenic, historic, natural, economic and other resources of the Town of Great Barrington and its residents, while allowing adequate wireless telecommunications to be developed and built.
(b) Relation to other Districts. The Overlay District is an overlay district mapped over other districts. It modifies and where there is inconsistency, supersedes the regulations of those other districts. Except as so modified or superseded, the regulations of the underlying districts remain in effect.
(c) Applicability. Any use of lands within the Overlay District for the purposes of placement, construction, modification or removal of personal wireless telecommunications services, towers or antennas shall be subject to the requirements of ~ 171-120 et seq of this chapter.
(d) Description. The Overlay District includes the properties listed below. These properties are included by reason of their potential to provide technically feasible and accessible locations for the siting of wireless telecommunications facilities that will provide adequate wireless telecommunications services to the Town of Great Barrington. The Overlay District is defined, delineated and mapped on the set of eight maps entitled "Wireless Telecommunications Overlay District, ~ 171-9D(3) WTOD, Town of Great Barrington, MA" and incorporated by reference herein. Also incorporated by reference herein are the plots of coverage entitled "Radial Plots from Proposed Overlay District" which provide engineering data to support the choices of properties for the Overlay District, and
showing that these sites will provide adequate coverage for the FCC licensed wireless telecommunications providers who are doing business in Great Barrington.
Wireless Telecommunications Overlay District
Map Key |
Assessor's Location |
Assessor's Map |
Parcel |
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1 |
East of Long Pond Road |
34 |
9 |
|
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|
|
1 |
East of Long Pond Road |
34 |
12 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
East of Long Pond Road |
34 |
12A |
|
|
|
|
1 |
East of Long Pond Road |
26 |
85.2 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
Transfer Station |
35 |
21 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
WSBS Tower |
29 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
4 |
Butternut Tower |
42 |
24 |
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|
5.2 |
Berkshire Heights Area |
23 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
5.3 |
Berkshire Heights Area |
31 |
57 and 58 |
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|
|
|
6 |
Vossberg Hill |
30 |
112A and 112B |
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|
|
7 |
VFW |
30 |
48 |
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