1. Construction, exterior alteration, or expansion of a nonresidential structure involving more than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area.
2. Construction, exterior alteration, conversion, or expansion of any multifamily residential structure with more than three dwelling units.
3. Construction or expansion of any parking lot with more than fourteen spaces or 4,000 square feet of impervious surface.
4. Any commercial construction involving the installation or construction of self-service gasoline pumps or drive-through or drive-up customer service on the premises.

A Site Plan review requires a Public Hearing before the Planning Board.

Any development involving the renovation of an existing building subject to the review and approval of the Lowell Historic Board, where all substantial work is confined within the footprint of the existing building, is exempt from site plan review.

Site Plan Review Criteria

The Board will evaluate plans based on specific criteria. New building construction or other site alterations shall be designed after considering the qualities of the specific location, the proposed land use, the design of building form, grading, egress points, and other aspects of the development so as to:

1. Minimize the volume of cut and fill, the number of removed trees 6” caliper or larger, the length of removed stone walls, the area of wetland vegetation displaced, the extent of stormwater flow increase from the site, soil erosion, and threat of air and water pollution.
2. Maximize pedestrian and vehicular safety both on the site and egressing from it.
3. Minimize obstruction of scenic views from publicly accessible locations.
4. Minimize visual intrusion by controlling the visibility of parking, storage, or other outdoor service areas viewed from public ways or premises residentially used or zoned.
5. Minimize glare from headlights and lighting intrusion.
6. Minimize unreasonable departure from the character, materials, and scale of buildings in the vicinity, as viewed from public ways and places.
7. Minimize contamination of groundwater from on-site waste-water disposal systems or operations on the premises involving the use, storage, handling or containment of hazardous substances.
8. Provide adequate access to each structure for fire and service equipment and adequate utilities.
9. Provide stormwater drainage consistent with the functional requirements of the Planning Board’s Subdivision Rules and Regulations.
10. Ensure compliance with the provisions of this zoning ordinance, including the parking, signage, landscaping and environmental performance standards.

Site Plan Regulation Guidelines and Forms

The Planning Board unanimously voted during the August 25, 2008 Planning Board meeting to adopt an updated application form requiring applicants to complete and submit the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Buidling Checklist.  The applicantion has been updated and is available at the link below.  For additional assistance in completing the checklist follow this link to the USGBC web page LEED New Construction & Major Renovation.  For additional assistance please feel free to contact Aaron Clausen at 978-446-7200. 

Site Plan Approval Application

Special Permits Required

Please note that some site plans may also require special permits. Please see the special permit section of the web page.