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Bourne, Massachusetts: what can you build or do?

Plain-English answers to common homeowner questions, taken from Bourne's published bylaws, with every rule linked to the section it comes from.

Last reviewed 2026-10-20

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes. Bourne allows one accessory dwelling unit by right on a residential lot, up to 1,500 sq ft or half the main home's floor area, whichever is smaller. The posted bylaw still lists owner-occupancy, a 5,000 sq ft minimum lot and a 2-bedroom cap; Town Meeting voted on May 4, 2026 to remove them (Attorney General approval not confirmed), and the Planning Board says the town already permits ADUs that way. Short-term rental of the ADU or the main house is not allowed, and the ADU can't be rented for less than 90 days.Allowed with a permit
• Backyard Chickens
  Yes. Bourne's Board of Health allows backyard hens if you register them with the Health Department: 4 hens per quarter acre, or no more than 2 on a lot under a quarter acre. Roosters are allowed only on lots of 2 acres or more and only for breeding, and coops must be 100 ft from dwellings and 50 ft from lot lines unless the Board of Health gives written permission.Allowed with a permit
• Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)
  Generally yes. Bourne has no short-term rental bylaw, registration program or cap, but the Building Department must inspect most short-term rentals under the state building code: every 5 years if the owner doesn't mainly live there, or every year for an owner-occupied home that counts as a lodging house. A home with an accessory dwelling unit can't be rented short-term at all, and neither can the ADU.Allowed with a permit
• Fences
  Fences 6 feet tall or less need no permit in Bourne and can go right on your property line, as long as they're entirely on your land. Taller fences must meet the setbacks for a building; the Building Department's Fence FAQ also says they need a Zoning Board of Appeals special permit, though in the bylaw that special-permit rule sits in the Downtown District section. On corner lots, nothing between 2.5 and 8 feet high may block the view within 20 feet of the corner.Allowed
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  In Bourne, a shed under 200 sq ft doesn't need a building permit, but you must file a free Shed Registration Form with a plot plan. A shed over 200 sq ft needs a building permit ($0.60 per sq ft for homes). Sheds must meet zoning setbacks, for example 15 ft from side and rear lines and 30 ft from the street in R-40, or 25 ft and 40 ft in R-80.Allowed with a permit
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Brush burning in Bourne needs a Fire Department permit and is allowed only from January 15 to May 1. Apply through the town's online portal and call the daily fire weather line before you light. A backyard fire pit or chiminea for cooking or recreation needs no permit if an adult attends it and it's at least 10 feet from any structure or combustible material.Allowed with a permit
• Home-Based Businesses
  Yes. Bourne's zoning allows a home occupation inside your home without a special permit in most residential districts, as long as it uses no more than 30% of the home's floor area, has no more than one employee from outside the household, and doesn't change the home's residential look. The business can't be run from a garage, shed or other accessory building, and you get one sign of up to 2 sq ft.Allowed
• Swimming Pools
  Yes, but in Bourne you need permits from both the Building Department and the Health Department for any pool 24 inches or deeper, 250 sq ft or larger, or with a permanent filter system. Every new or altered pool needs a barrier at least 48 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates, and the pool can't be filled until the Building Inspector has inspected the fence.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Water (Wetlands Rules)
  Work in or within 100 feet of a wetland, coastal bank, beach or other resource area in Bourne needs Conservation Commission approval under the town's Wetland Protection Bylaw (Article 3.7). No house, accessory structure or driveway may be built within 50 feet of a resource area unless the Commission permits it. On an eroding coastal bank, the setback is 50 feet from the top of the bank.Allowed with board review
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  A new private pier or dock in Bourne needs a Notice of Intent and a hearing before the Conservation Commission, which applies strict standards: seasonal use only (April 1 to November 1), no more than 125 ft beyond mean high water, no wider than 4 ft, and at least 25 ft from property lines. Floats and moorings also need an annual Mooring Permit from the Harbor Master, and the town caps the number of boats moored, with waits of 3 to 5 years in most areas.Allowed with board review