The meetings are conducted on the 3rd Thursday of the month, unless otherwise noted below. Applications are due in the Town Clerk office one hour before closing.

Please make sure to plan your projects with enough time for waiting out any subsequent appeal periods once a variance or special permit is granted.

Board Decision

The Zoning Board usually makes their decision the night of the hearing. There is nothing that prevents the board from continuing the hearing and voting at a later time. Once the decision is made by vote of the board, the written decision is filed in the Town Clerks’ Office. There is then a 20 day appeal period after the decision is filed.

Appeal

If no one appeals the decision (in court) it must be filed with the property deed at the Salem Registry of Deeds. It does not become a legal instrument until it is filed and must be filed within 1 year.

Any person aggrieved by the Board’s final decision, including the Petitioner, the owner, or any owner of land abutting the land subject to this decision, may file an appeal in the Superior Court or the Land Court within 20 days of the date stamped in by the Town Clerk. See Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40A, Section 17.

Before the Project Starts

No building permit or use/occupancy certificate can be issued (if required) until the special permit or variance is recorded at the registry.

Bylaws

The Ipswich Zoning Bylaw (PDF) is available on this website and may be purchased with the zoning map at the Town Clerks’ office.

Meeting Dates & Filing Deadlines

Meeting Date	Deadline to File With Town Clerk
January 16, 2021	December  15, 2020
February 20, 2021	January 21, 2021
March 20, 2021	February 18, 2021
April 17, 2021	March 25, 2021
May	April
June	May
July 16, 2020	June 23, 2020
August 20, 2020	July 21, 2020
September 17, 2020	August 25 ,2020
October 15, 2020	September 22, 2020
November 19, 2020	October 20, 2020
December	No Meeting
January 21, 2021	December 15, 2020

Note: Dates are subject to change.

*Indicates a change from the usual 3rd Thursday of the month.