Can I initiate a zoning change?

A property owner can submit a zoning petition to the Weymouth Town Council to request a lot or tract of land be rezoned. A zoning petition can also be initiated by the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Planning Board, a regional planning agency (in Weymouth’s case, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council), the Town Council itself, or 10 registered voters in the town. 

To be approved, a zoning change requires a joint public hearing of the Planning Board and Town Council, followed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Town Council. For further information on the rezoning process, please see the Planning Board’s webpage and click the Zoning link, or visit the Department of Planning and Community Development during normal business hours on the third floor at the town hall. It is recommended that petitioners meet with Town Staff (i.e., the Planning Director, Principal Planner, and/or Inspector of Buildings) prior to submitting a zoning petition to the Town Council.