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 21, 2021	December  15, 2020
*February 18, 2021	January 26, 2021
March 18, 2021	February 23, 2021
*April 15, 2021	March 23, 2021
May 20, 2021	April 20,2021
June 17,2021	May 25, 2021
July 15, 2021	June 22, 2021
August 19, 2021	July 20, 2021
September 16, 2021	August 24 ,2021
October 21, 2021	September 21, 2021
November 18, 2021	October 26, 2021
December	No Meeting
January 20, 2022	December 21, 2021

Note: Dates are subject to change.

*Indicates subject to change.