Whether or not you plan to make any changes to property you own, understanding zoning compliance is important. Property owners are responsible even if a nonconforming change was made by a previous owner.

Massachusetts cities and towns have the responsibility by law to adopt ordinances to regulate the use of land, buildings, and structures.

Zoning is a topic that many of us ignore until it affects us directly. The most common ways in which zoning enters our lives are as owners planning changes to our property and as neighbors or residents in a community who will experience the impact of changes to property.