Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Revere, Massachusetts

Revere’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Revere city limits under the Massachusetts state building code and state fire code as adopted by the city.

  • Adoption is by reference to the state codes; the city code adds that any violation of such state codes is also a violation of Chapter 15.04 and the penalties of Chapters 1.12 and 1.16.
  • Adopted stretch energy code (780 CMR appendix 115.AA) is separately adopted in section 15.04.151 with the building inspector enforcing it.

  “the provisions of the state fire code and state building code are incorporated and adopted by reference in this section.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Revere city limits; the city's own Title 17 (Zoning) ordinance, which sets use and dimensional tables by zoning district.

  • eCode360 table of contents lists Title 17 Zoning as sections 17.04.010 through 17.60.110.
  • Only Chapters 17.16, 17.24 (partial) and 17.27 and the Chapter 15.04 building code were opened; the dimensional table in 17.24.010 was not captured.

  “use zoning district ra ra1 rb rb1 rc rc1 rc2 rc3 pdd1 pdd2 nb gb gb1 cb hb ted li ip a. residential uses”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Revere city, as named in the use table (RA, RA1, RB, RB1, RC, RC1, RC2, RC3, PDD1, PDD2, NB, GB, GB1, CB, HB, TED, LI, IP).

  • Only the district names in the Chapter 17.16 use table were verified. The zoning map and district boundaries were not opened.
  • Chapter 17.27 Revere Riverfront Overlay District is within the GB and LI districts and replaces underlying dimensional rules inside its boundary.

  “use zoning district ra ra1 rb rb1 rc rc1 rc2 rc3 pdd1 pdd2 nb gb gb1 cb hb ted li ip a. residential uses”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residentially zoned lots in Revere city, including single-family districts; the numeric minimum lot area is set by district in the table of dimensional regulations in section 17.24.010 (values not captured).

  • Numeric minimum lot area per district in section 17.24.010 was not captured; do not use this claim for a figure.
  • Vacant undersized residential lots may be built on only by ZBA special permit under section 17.24.032 per section 17.24.031.
  • Lots in existence before May 7, 1990, in the RC2 district are exempt from the minimum lot area, yard and floor area ratio rules if they have frontage on two or more public ways and an average depth under 90 feet (section 17.24.030(s)).
  • Overlay districts (Chapter 17.27 Riverfront, and others) replace Chapter 17.24 dimensional rules within their boundaries.

  “the zoning board of appeals shall not grant relief, by variance or otherwise, from any of the provisions of section 17.24.030, nor shall the zoning board of appeals be authorized to allow construction on any undersized residentially zoned parcel that does not at least meet the minimum lot area requirements of section 17.24.010”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Setbacks in Revere city are set by zoning district in section 17.24.010; the excerpt quoted applies to TED and HB district uses abutting residential uses or wetlands.

  • Yard and setback numbers for RA, RA1, RB and RB1 were not captured; only the TED/HB landscaping buffer requirement was verified.
  • A 20-foot landscaping buffer applies in TED/HB within the minimum setback requirements where the use abuts residential use or wetland; a 10-foot buffer applies where it abuts nonresidential use and along frontage.
  • Riverfront overlay (section 17.27) sets its own setback rules within its boundary.

  “q. for all residential uses in the gb and cb districts the yard dimensions shall be as follows: front, 20 feet; side, 15 feet; rear, 20 feet.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Lots in Revere city's RB and RB1 districts under 6,000 square feet inside the FEMA 100-year floodplain.

  • Such lots are limited to a single-family dwelling under section 17.16.041.
  • Floodplain boundary is the FEMA FIRM for the city revised August 20, 2002, as cited in the code.
  • General floodplain development permit rules were not opened.

  lot area threshold: < 6000 sq ft

  “any lot within the rb and rb1 districts which has less than six thousand square feet and is located within the boundaries of the one hundred year flood plain as delineated on the federal emergency management agency (fema) flood insurance rate map (firm) for the city revised august 20, 2002 shall be limited to a single-family dwelling.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Revere or Suffolk County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homes inside Revere city
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Revere city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Revere city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Revere city
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage by district inside Revere city

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Revere means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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