Deerfield Planning Board sets one-ADU-per-lot limit, 1,200-square-foot special permit cap

DEERFIELD -- May 4, 2026, Deerfield Planning Board agrees to one-ADU-per-lot limit and 1,200-square-foot special permit cap. Meeting remotely on May 4, the seven-member board reached consensus on key parameters for a rewrite of Chapter 179 governing accessory dwelling units, following new state law requirements under the Dover Amendment and the Massachusetts MBTA Communities Act that now compel towns to allow ADUs as of right in single-family zones. Planning and Economic Development Coordinator Alexandria Galloway presented a draft revision incorporating the state's model bylaw, and the board agreed to scrap a two-track protected/local ADU structure in favor of a single framework: ADUs up to 900 square feet allowed by right, units up to 1,200 square feet by special permit, with owner-occupancy restrictions and exterior-character language removed. The board also agreed to pursue a master plan update through the state's Community One Stop for Growth program, whose application window closes June 3, with Chair Denise Mason proposing VHB Consulting's Luke Mitchell to lead the work. A joint session with the Zoning Board of Appeals to review the draft ADU bylaw is set for June 15, targeting a fall 2026 town meeting submission.