Lynn’s zoning ordinance is being extensively revised to align with the city’s comprehensive plan, Vision Lynn, Mayor Jared Nicholson’s office has announced.

The goal is to create a more understandable, modern code, Nicholson said. 

“Zoning reform is one of the key next steps identified in Vision Lynn because zoning is one of the most powerful regulatory tools municipalities have to carry out land use and development objectives,” Nicholson said. “By updating our zoning, we will be able to translate the community’s vision more clearly into the regulatory framework developers must follow when they are building new projects.”

The city has hired CommunityScale, an urban planning consultancy with experience amending and rewriting zoning codes in other municipalities, to help with the process.

An internal working group composed of staff from the Planning, Inspectional Services, and Law departments; the mayor’s office; the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation of Lynn; and representatives from the City Council, Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals will guide the work.

Vision Lynn, which was adopted in 2023, lists the community’s priorities for new development in the city, including growing commercial and industrial activity to support the city’s economy and directing development incorporating mixed uses and excellent transit connectivity.

The revision of the ordinance is supported by a Housing Choice grant from the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. The zoning amendment is expected to be completed in spring 2025 with a review and recommendation from the Planning Board and a vote of adoption by the City Council, according to a press release from the mayor’s office. 

Principal Planning Director Aaron Clausen noted that Lynn’s existing code date back to 1925. It would be beneficial to modernize it and make it easier to understand, he said. 

“This is important for developers who seek predictable, straightforward economic environments and community members who want clarity around process and possibilities for new development in Lynn,” Clausen said. 

Assistant City Solicitor James Lamanna added that the current zoning code is so outdated, property owners in the city often have to seek variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals at a significant financial cost.

“A revised zone ordinance that reflects existing and desired uses and sizes of existing lots will both promote development and reduce costs for property owners who seek to develop their properties.” Lamanna said.