Planning Board

The Planning Board studies the growth of the town, prepares and amends the zoning by-law and map, and reviews subdivision and site plans. The 1931 annual town meeting voted to establish a five-member board and adopted a Planning Board by-law; the moderator appointed the first members (Thomas Talbot Clark, Lucy B. Collier, George R. Dyer, Patrick J. Mahoney and Orland S. Marshall), and from 1932 members were elected for staggered terms. The board drafted Billerica's first zoning by-law, adopted in July 1945. It was enlarged to seven members in 1971. Terms were five years from at least the 1950s into the 1980s and three years from the 1990s. The members are still elected at the annual town election and are assisted by a Town Planner (later Director of Planning).