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Reading, Massachusetts: what can you build or do?

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

Last reviewed 2026-10-21

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes, but Reading's written zoning is out of date. The bylaw (§5.4.7, written in 2016-2017) allows an apartment inside an existing house by right, but requires a special permit for detached or new-construction units, owner occupancy, and a cap of 1,000 sq ft or one-third of the house. Massachusetts law since February 2, 2025 protects one ADU of up to 900 sq ft (or half the house) by right with no owner-occupancy rule, so those conflicting local rules may not apply. A PROPOSED update (not yet adopted) is headed to the November 9, 2026 Town Meeting.Allowed with a permit
• Backyard Chickens
  Yes, with an annual license from the Reading Board of Health. A license covers up to 6 poultry per property unless the Board approves a plan for more, and roosters aren't allowed anywhere in town. Your application must include a plot plan, manure and feed plans, and notice to your abutters, who can object at a hearing.Allowed with a permit
• Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)
  Reading's bylaws we reviewed have no short-term rental bylaw, registration or license, and the zoning bylaw doesn't directly address renting out a whole house on Airbnb or VRBO. The closest rules: a resident may rent rooms to up to 3 people who aren't transient guests, and an owner-occupied bed and breakfast needs a special permit from the CPDC. A pending proposal would bar ADUs from being used as short-term rentals.Not specifically regulated
• Fences
  Reading's zoning sets no maximum fence height and no setback. Fences are exempt from yard requirements and may go in the front yard. A building permit is needed for a tall fence, but town documents disagree on the cutoff: the zoning bylaw says over 6 feet, while the Building Division says 7 feet. Near wetlands, or in the Historic District, you need Conservation or Historic District Commission approval.Allowed
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  Reading's Building Division requires a permit for every shed, even though the state building code exempts one-story sheds of 200 sq ft or less from a building permit. For those small sheds the town permit is free and approves only the location: at least 10 feet from the house and 5 feet from property lines, with 7 feet recommended. Sheds over 200 sq ft need a full permit with plans and a fee; sheds can't go in the required front yard, and Conservation approval is required for any size.Allowed with a permit
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Brush burning needs an Open Burning permit from the Reading Fire Department ($15, applied for online). State rules limit the season to January 15 through May 1, even though the town's fee page says "Jan 1 - May 1." Burning leaves is banned by town bylaw. Reading has no local fire-pit rules, so state rules on cooking and recreational fires apply.Allowed with a permit
• Home-Based Businesses
  Yes. A home occupation run by a resident inside the home is allowed by right in all of Reading's residence districts, with no special permit. If you want to hire one non-resident employee or work out of a garage or shed, you need a Special Home Occupation special permit from the CPDC, which can be limited to one year.Allowed
• Swimming Pools
  Yes, with a building permit for any pool 24 inches deep or more, an electrical permit, and Conservation Commission approval for any size pool. Zoning lets a pool of any size go outside the required side and rear yards. Inside those yards, it's limited to the greater of 600 sq ft or 25% of the house's floor area. Hot tubs always need a permit and must be 10 feet from the house and 5 feet from property lines.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Water (Wetlands Rules)
  Work within 100 feet of a wetland, pond or stream, within 200 feet of a river, or in the 100-year floodplain needs Conservation Commission approval under Reading's local Wetlands Protection Bylaw. The Commission normally keeps a no-disturb strip of natural vegetation at least 25 feet wide along wetlands. It also bars new structures, including sheds, pools, patios and fences, within another 10 feet of that strip, so roughly 35 feet from the wetland.Allowed with board review
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  Reading is an inland town, and its bylaws and regulations we reviewed have no dock, pier, float or mooring rules. Any work in or within 100 feet of a pond, stream or wetland still needs an Order of Conditions from the Conservation Commission under the local Wetlands Protection Bylaw.Not specifically regulated