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Use table: TABLE OF USE REGULATIONS
Town of Canton, Massachusetts · 2026 source edition
Use table · TABLE OF USE REGULATIONS
TABLE OF USE REGULATIONS
Y - Permitted as of right
N - Prohibited
BA - Special Permit/Board of Appeals
PB - Special Permit/Planning Board
SB - Special Permit/Select Board
PRINCIPAL USE SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
A. Residential Uses
Single family dwelling Y Y N N N N N N N
Two-family dwelling N Y N N N N N N N
Assisted Living and/or Independent N BA BA BA N BA BA N N
Living Facility 1
Boarding or lodging house 2 N BA N N N N N N N
Mixed-Use building3 N N Y Y N N N N N
Multi-family dwelling4 N BA N N N N N N N
1
See Section 8.2.2 and 8.7 for special regulations
2
See Section 8.3 for special regulations
2
See Section 8.8 for Special Regulations
4
See Section 8.2 for Special Regulations
The conversion and/or use of a single BA BA BA BA N N N N N
family dwelling existing on March 8,
1937, as a dwelling for not more than
two (2) families, or as a convalescent
or nursing home, boarding or lodging
house, or tourist home, subject to
Section 8.3 and 8.4
Short-term rental Y Y Y Y N N N N N
B. Exempt and Institutional Uses SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
Exempt: uses exempted from Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
prohibition by G.L. Chapter 40A,
Section 3 3
Hospital, Long-term care facility, N N N N BA BA BA BA N
hospice, health care facility/clinic, or
substance abuse detoxification or
treatment center 4
Philanthropic, educational, or BA BA Y BA N N N N Y
charitable institution, non-exempt
Library, museum, art gallery or Y Y Y Y Y N N Y N
community building
Extension of existing cemetery Y Y Y N Y N N Y Y
Recreational or water supply use of a Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
governmental agency
Public administration building, fire or Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N
police station
Cultural use N N N N BA BA BA N N
Other municipal uses Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N
Essential services BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA N
Parkland Open Space or Recreational N N N N N N N N Y
Uses
3
As defined by M.G.L. Chapter 40A, Section 3
4
See Special Regulations Section 4.2.7 for in-patient facilities and Section 4.2.8 for out-patient facilities
C. Agricultural and Related Uses SR GR B CB LI LI LI I
(B) (C)
Commercial agriculture, aquaculture, Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
silviculture, horticulture, floriculture
or viticulture provided that all such
activities may be limited to parcels of
five (5) acres or more in area not
zoned for agriculture, aquaculture,
silviculture, horticulture, floriculture
or viticulture
Orchard, market garden, or nursery Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
on a two-acre parcel (but not
including any building or structure
primarily used or maintained in
connection with such purpose nor the
regular sale at retail of any
agricultural produce, unless
authorized by the Board of Appeals
as hereinafter provided)
Building or structure used or BA N N N N N N N N
maintained in connection with a
permitted agricultural use of the land,
or used for any other purpose of
agricultural production (such as a
greenhouse or poultry battery)
Commercial greenhouse on less than N N N N N N N Y N
five (5) acres
Farm stand, exempt Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Farm stand, local BA N N N N N N N N
D. Recreational Uses SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
Golf course (but not including a golf BA N N N BA BA BA N Y
driving range or "miniature" golf
course), boat or canoe livery, riding
academy or stable
Golf driving range, "miniature" golf N N N N BA BA BA Y N
course, or other similar outdoor
commercial recreation use (but not
including an amusement park, drive-
in theater or open-air facilities for
"spectator sports" except where
authorized by the Board of Appeals
as hereinafter provided)
Theater, bowling alley, dance hall, or N N BA BA BA BA BA BA N
other place of indoor amusement
Health or exercise club N N BA BA BA BA BA N N
Private club, lodge, or other non- BA BA Y BA N N N N N
profit social, cultural, civic or
recreational use (but not including
any use the chief activity of which is
one customarily conducted as a
business)
Limited Industrial Recreational Use N N N N BA BA BA N N
E. Restaurant Uses SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
Restaurant or similar place for the N N BA BA BA BA BA BA N
service of food or beverages only to
persons inside a completely enclosed
building, with or without regular
mechanical or live entertainment
Outdoor dining allowed by special
permit
Fast food establishment N N BA BA N N N BA N
F. Commercial and Office Uses SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
Kennel or veterinary facility or clinic N N BA N Y Y Y Y N
Funeral parlor or undertaking N BA Y N N N N Y N
establishment
Business or professional office or N N Y Y BA BA BA Y N
agency, bank or other financial
institution
Medical offices: offices of a doctor or N N Y Y BA Y BA Y N
dentist not a resident of the premises,
or a group of such offices
Medical or Dental Labs N N Y Y BA BA BA Y N
Office for executive or administrative N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N
purposes only
Educational use, nonexempt N N BA BA BA BA BA BA N
Hotel or motel N N BA BA BA BA BA BA N
General or personal service N N Y Y BA BA BA Y N
establishment
Trade Shop N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N
Printing or publishing establishment, N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N
with not more than five thousand
(5000) square feet of total floor area
per establishment used for production
and storage (exclusive of area used
for office or sales purposes)
Printing or publishing establishment, N N N N Y Y Y Y N
without limitation on floor area
Parking area for which no fee is N SP Y Y N N N N N
charged provided that such area is
located on a lot directly adjacent to a
Non-Residential District
Telecommunication facilities N N N N BA BA BA BA N
Medical Marijuana Facilities 5 N N N N N N N BA N
5
See Section 7.7 for special regulations.
G. Retail Uses SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
Pharmacy or drug store N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N
Recreational Marijuana N N N N N N N N N
Establishments
Store for the sale of goods at retail N N Y Y BA BA BA Y N
Showroom for building supplies N N Y Y N N N Y N
(including plumbing, heating and
ventilation equipment), with storage
limited to floor samples only unless
additional storage is allowed by
Special Permit granted by the Zoning
Board of Appeals
Salesroom for boats, trailers, trucks, N N N N N N N Y N
farm
implements, or machinery, with no
repair services
Wholesale office or showroom, with N N Y Y N N N Y N
storage limited to floor samples only
unless additional storage is allowed
by Special Permit granted by the
Zoning Board of Appeals
H. Motor Vehicle Related Uses SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
Salesroom for motor vehicles with no N N N N BA BA BA BA N
repair services except in a garage
Motor vehicle repair garage motor N N N N BA BA BA BA N
vehicle body repair and painting
Motor vehicle fuel facility and N N N N BA BA BA BA N
incidental retail facility not to exceed
six hundred (600) square feet in size
Car wash N N N N BA BA BA N N
I. Light Manufacturing, SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
Manufacturing and Related Uses (B) (C)
Scientific or research laboratory N N N N Y Y Y N
Manufacturing N N N N Y N N Y N
Warehouse or distribution plant N N N N BA BA BA BA N
Any retail or wholesale use which is N N N N BA BA BA BA N
incidental to and directly related to
the products warehoused or shipped
from the premises with said retail or
wholesale use limited to not more
than twenty-five percent (25%) of the
premises or more than five thousand
(5000) square feet, whichever is less.
Light manufacturing N N N N Y Y Y Y N
J. Accessory Uses SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
Accessory use incidental to a Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N
permitted main use
Home occupation, non-intensive Y Y Y Y N N N N N
Home occupation, intensive BA BA Y Y N N N N N
Accessory Apartment in single family BA BA BA BA N N N N N
dwelling pursuant to Section 8.1
Family child care home BA BA BA BA N N N N N
Adult day care BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA N
Accessory scientific uses BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA N
Automobile parking lot N N Y Y N N N Y N
The keeping overnight of more than BA BA Y Y N N N N N
five motor vehicles, one of which
may be a commercial vehicle. Such
commercial vehicle shall not exceed a
gross vehicle weight of twelve
thousand, five hundred (12,500)
pounds, or measure more than seven
feet, six inches (7' 6") from the
ground to the top of the roof, or
measure more than twenty-one feet
(21') from the front bumper to the
rear bumper. For the purpose of this
section no, so-called, pickup truck
shall be deemed to be a 'commercial'
vehicle. Nothing in this section shall
be construed to prevent any person
from bringing a commercial vehicle
otherwise prohibited by this section
into a residential neighborhood for
the purpose of making a delivery, or
performing work, or during
lunchtime, or on an irregular basis
J. Accessory Uses – Cont’d SR GR B CB LI LI LI I POS
(B) (C)
The renting of rooms or the Y Y N N N N N N N
furnishing of table board in a
dwelling to not more than two (2)
persons other than members of the
family (whether regular or transient)
Greenhouse, tool shed, playhouse, Y Y N N N N N N N
tennis court, boat house, or other
similar building or structure for
domestic storage or use.
Drive-in or drive-through facilities N N BA BA BA BA BA BA N
Short-term rental 6 Y Y Y Y N N N N N
6
Subject to applicable State and Town regulations, administrative regulations, and inspection requirements.
CANTON ZONING BY-LAWS