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Zoning Feasibility Memo for a Greater Boston Property

A zoning feasibility memo is a written, fixed-scope review of one named Greater Boston address, or of lots you plan to combine. It lays out what the current zoning allows as of right, which overlays and dimensional limits apply, and which parts of your plan would need a special permit, a variance, or other board review. You get that in writing before you design, file, or make an offer.

• Fee: $2,500, paid in advance
• Turnaround: 5 business days after I have both the signed engagement letter and your payment
• Payment: paid in advance, as set out in the engagement letter

Ask about a memo →

Who it's for

• Owners deciding what a lot can hold before paying for design.
• Small developers comparing sites or weighing a lot combination.
• Buyers who want a zoning read on a specific parcel before an offer.
• Architects and designers can refer a client. The client is always the owner or the buyer, and the memo is written for them.

What the memo covers

For the named address, or for the combined lots:

1. Zoning district and as-of-right uses: what is allowed without asking a board.
2. Overlay districts: any overlays that add rules or change the review process.
3. Height and floor area ratio (FAR): the main limits on building size.
4. Inclusionary housing and bonus rules: requirements or incentives that can change a project.
5. What needs relief or review: which parts of a plan would need a special permit, a variance, or other board review under the current text.
6. Lot combinations: for combined lots, how the rules apply to the combined parcel.

What the memo does not cover

• Hearings or appearing before a board
• Permitting strategy
• Neighbor meetings or the community process

Any of these can be a separate engagement.

The memo describes how the current zoning applies to the property. It does not promise any approval, permit, unit count, or other outcome. Boards make their own decisions, and every property turns on its own facts.

How it works

1. Send the address and your question through the contact form or by email. Please don't send confidential details yet.
2. Conflict check. Before discussing your property, I confirm there is no conflict of interest.
3. Engagement letter. You get a short letter setting out the scope, the $2,500 fee, and the 5-business-day turnaround.
4. Payment. Payment terms are set out in the engagement letter. Work starts once I have both the signed engagement letter and your payment.
5. Your memo. You receive the written memo for the named address or lots.

The first consult is free. I aim to respond within 1 business day.

Why have a lawyer write it

Zoning codes are law. The memo reads the code as it applies to your parcel, under a written engagement that keeps your information confidential. You can share it with your architect, lender, or partners before you commit money.

About the lawyer

My practice includes zoning, permitting, and real estate matters before local boards in Boston and nearby communities, including Boston ZBA matters. I was admitted to the bar in November 2012. Before practicing law I worked full time at Suffolk Construction, first as a project estimator and later as a corporate paralegal. Learn more about Michael →

Related: Zoning & Permitting · Purchases & Sales · Contact

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to send to get started? The address or addresses, what you hope to do with the property, and your next deadline, such as an offer date or the end of a due diligence period. If you already have plans, a survey, or an earlier board decision, mention it. Please don't send confidential details until the conflict check is done.

Will the memo tell me how many units I can build? It explains the rules that control a building's size and density, and it points out what would need a special permit, a variance, or other board review. It can't promise a unit count or an approval. Those depend on the facts and on decisions made by others.

How long does it take? Turnaround is 5 business days. The clock starts once both the signed engagement letter and payment are received.

How do I pay? The fee is $2,500, paid in advance, per the engagement letter. Work starts after the signed engagement letter and payment are both received.

My architect referred me. Who is the client? You are: the owner or the buyer. Architects and designers are welcome to refer clients. With your permission, I can share the memo with your design team.

Does the memo include hearings or neighbor meetings? No. Hearings, permitting strategy, and the neighbor or community process are outside the memo. If you want help with them, that is a separate engagement.

Ready to ask about a memo?

Send the property address and your question through the contact form or email michael@attorneywelsh.com.

Law Office of Michael P. Welsh · 501 Congress Street #2117, Boston, MA 02210 · (617) 942-0691

Attorney advertising. This page is general information, not legal advice about any property. Contacting this office does not create an attorney-client relationship. That relationship begins only when an engagement letter is signed. Please don't send confidential information until the conflict check is complete. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.