Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Marion, Massachusetts
Town of Marion is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Town of Marion adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Town of Marion’s rules apply, not the county’s. Septic permits inside Town of Marion come from the county and state together. 7 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 23, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Plymouth County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Town of Marion
Town of Marion’s own rules
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
Land inside Marion town limits. The Town adopts and administers its own zoning bylaw, Chapter 230 of the Town Code.
The chapter history says the zoning bylaw was adopted at town meeting in 1984 and recodified at the 10-23-2017 special town meeting; later amendments are listed on the chapter page, including a 2025-11-24 amendment.
“the town adopted the zoning bylaw as ch. 230 of the 2017 town code 5-8-2017 atm by art. 43”
Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)
Zoning districts inside Marion town limits
The chapter lists Article III, types of districts, and a zoning map as Attachment 1. Table 5.1a names the residence A through E, limited business, general business, marine business and limited industrial districts. The map itself was not opened.
“article iii districts § 230-3.1 types of districts. § 230-3.2 zoning map.”
Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)
Single-family dwelling lots in the Residence A district inside Marion town limits (main single-family residential district)
Table 5.1a note (1) states: these dimensional requirements may be waived in accordance with the provisions of article x, conservation subdivision, upon the issuance of a special permit.
Residence B minimum is 43,560 sq ft (1 acre); Residence C and D are 87,120 sq ft (2 acres); Residence E is 40,000 sq ft.
No existing lot shall be changed in size or shape so as to result in the violation of the requirements set forth below (section 230-5.1 text).
minimum lot size: >= 21780 sq ft (0.5 acre; Residence A; waivable by conservation subdivision special permit) · minimum lot frontage: >= 125 ft (Residence A)
“residence a (1)(4)(11) 21,780 (0.5 acre) 125 35 15 35”
SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)
Single-family dwellings in the Residence A district inside Marion town limits
Residence B: front 35 ft, side and rear 20 ft. Residence C and D: front 35 ft, side and rear 30 ft. Residence E: front 35 ft, side and rear 20 ft. Business and industrial districts: front 35 ft (with notes 7 and 12 in the table), side and rear 10 ft.
Table 5.1a note (1) allows waiver of these dimensional requirements through the conservation subdivision special permit.
minimum front yard setback: >= 35 ft (Residence A) · minimum side and rear setback: >= 15 ft (Residence A)
“residence a (1)(4)(11) 21,780 (0.5 acre) 125 35 15 35”
Building heightSpecified
Buildings in the Residence A district inside Marion town limits
Table 5.1a lists 35 ft maximum building height for Residence A through E and for the limited business, general business, marine business and limited industrial districts.
maximum building height: <= 35 ft (Residence A)
“residence a (1)(4)(11) 21,780 (0.5 acre) 125 35 15 35”
Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)
On-site sewage disposal systems inside Marion town limits: Town of Marion Board of Health administers Title 5 (state rule, 310 CMR 15.00) locally
“in accordance with m.g.l. c.111, section 31 and 310 cmr 15.019 (title 5) the undersigned makes application to the board of health for permission to construct, alter, install, repair, or expansion of on-site sewage disposal systems in the town of marion.”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Land division inside Marion town limits under the Town subdivision regulations (Chapter 300)
Chapter 230 section 230-9.8 and section 230-14 refer to the subdivision regulations and subdivision phasing; the Chapter 300 text was not opened.
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Marion or Plymouth County directly.
Building permit — New construction inside Marion town limits
Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Marion town limits
Inspections — Building inspections inside Marion town limits
Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy certificates inside Marion town limits
Minimum dwelling size — Dwelling size minimums inside Marion town limits
16 more unanswered
Lot coverage
Living in an RV
Camping on your land
Tiny homes
Manufactured homes
Accessory dwellings
Septic inspection
Off-grid sanitation
Well permit
Mandatory utility hookup
Agricultural exemption
Driveway access
Building in a floodplain
Short-term rentals
Permit fees
Permit process
Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.
Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Marion publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Plymouth County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Town of Marion means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
