The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is a volunteer regulatory board consisting of five regular and two associate members appointed by the City Manager. The ZBA holds public hearings concerning the following items:
- Applications for special permits to allow certain uses that require discretionary approval of the ZBA. The ZBA considers these cases by evaluating criteria established in the Zoning Ordinance, and may impose conditions on an approval that they deem as necessary to protect the health, safety or general welfare of the public;
- Applications for a special permit or variance to deviate from specific zoning requirements, such as minimum lot size, dimensional limits on density of development and height of buildings, and required setbacks from adjacent properties, etc.;
- Applications for extension, change or alteration of structures or uses that do not meet current zoning requirements, but did meet regulations in place at the time of their establishment. These "privileged non-conforming" structures or uses may be extended, changed or altered by grant of a special permit.
- Appeals of zoning decisions by the Building Commissioner.
Upcoming Meetings
Please review the Meeting Schedule for meeting dates and application deadlines.
As of July 2025, all current/upcoming agendas and archived meeting minutes are now available through our partner OneMeeting. Archived agendas and minutes are currently available going back to 2021, with older archived files added on an ongoing basis. For meeting materials prior to this time period, please submit a Public Records Request.
Additionally, all meeting videos will be available on the OneMeeting Portal from July 2025 moving forward. Videos prior to this time will still be available in our Video On Demand, but will be migrated to the OneMeeting portal on an ongoing basis.
Permits & Applications
The Zoning Board of Appeals' policy regarding receipt of complete applications and procedures for receipt of revisions as well as postponements and continuations has recently changed. Please refer to our Application Review Policy or contact Planning Division staff for more information.
Please note that a digital copy of all applications, plans and materials must be submitted as a PDF file to planning@worcesterma.gov. Please refer to applicable instructions for additional details.
Applications:
Please note the following:
- If needed, certified abutters lists should be obtained from the City's Assessing Office, Room 209, City Hall for a small fee. Please contact Assessing at least one week in advance to ensure timely receipt.
Zoning Ordinance & Map
The City's Zoning Ordinance and Map are tools for land use planning. Each zone classification guides the physical development of the city through a set of requirements set forth in the City of Worcester's Zoning Ordinance as amended.
Guidelines
Resources
Application Fee Schedule
Massachusetts Zoning Act
ZBA Rules & Regulations
Zoning Determination Form
Contact Information
Address
Planning & Regulatory Services
City Hall Room 404
455 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01608
Contact
Phone: 508-799-1400
Fax: 508-799-1406
Email Us
Hours
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.