Frequently Asked Questions

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Please contact the Assessor's Office for abatement information by calling 508-460-3779.

Payment at this point must be made through our Deputy Collector Kelley and Ryan Associates at 508-473-9660. For your convenience, you can pay online through their website. They also have multiple locations you can pay including Worcester (RMV), Leominster (RMV), and other locations listed on their website.

Payment can also be mailed: please contact Kelley and Ryan Associates directly for payment information and additional payment locations.

Appeal forms are available at the Collector's Office. Forms will be forwarded to the Parking Clerk for review.

You must first pick up your final water bill at the Water Department located at 135 Neil Street. You will pay the final water bill in the Collector's Office.  Only certified bank check or cash are accepted for final water bills. No personal checks are accepted.

You pay your water/sewer bills in the Collector's Office, located on the first floor of City Hall.

You pay them in the Collector's Office at City Hall.

See recent operating budgets for the City of Marlborough. For years not found at that webpage, please contact the City Clerk or Comptroller.

Printed copies of the budget can also be requested by contacting the City Clerk.

Yes, blasting is legal and a necessary aid in the removal of rock on construction sites and for the installation of utilities. Blasting is a heavily regulated industry that requires a Permit from the local Fire Department.

Through the Department of Fire Services, the Office of the State Fire Marshal issues "Blasting Certificates of Competency and Explosive Users Certificates" to blasters and blasting companies.

The Marlborough Fire Department does not issue a blasting permit unless these documents are presented. These documents represent that the blaster is considered competent to conduct blasting operations and that his company has shown evidence of bonding and required insurance respectively.

You are entitled to a Pre-Blast Survey if the structure you own is within 250 feet of the closest borehole in the blasting site. It is the responsibility of the blaster to notify you of your right to a Pre-Blast Survey.

It is a recommendation of this department to videotape the exterior and the interior of your home or business to document a "before and after" scenario, should you be concerned with a blasting operation that is over 250 feet away.

A "Blasting Damage Complaint Form" is available during business hours at the Fire Department business office. The form must be filed within thirty days of the occurrence.

The contractor is not allowed to pick-up items that are hazardous. The tank still contains some product and is a serious fire/explosion hazard if handles improperly.

Take the tank to the City's Waste facility for proper disposal. Do not put the tank in a rubbish container or dumpster where fire or crushing may occur. A tank rupture could cause serious injury.

No, current state law does not require the homeowner to remove an underground heating oil storage tank. Tanks must be removed if they have been identified a leaking or have not been used for the previous twenty-four months.

Further, if you are selling your property, a buyer may have difficulty trying to secure financing if a tank exists. Please refer to Removing Your Underground Heating Oil Tank: A Homeowners Guide (PDF) for more information.

The Marlborough Fire Department responds to all accidents where there is suspected injury to occupants of the vehicle. When a call is received at the Public Safety Communications Center, quite often the caller does not know if any injuries have occurred as a result of the accident. Even minor accidents cause "whiplash" or other injuries. Sometimes, the reason for the accident is a medical condition that caused the operator to lose control of their vehicle. To that end, all accidents are considered serious and require a response of medical personnel. The Fire Department also has a stake in the protection of the environment. The department supervises the clean-up of fuels, oils and coolants that may affect our natural resources.

The Marlborough Fire Department operates three fire stations located throughout the City. All of our staff are trained in emergency medical procedures.

During a medical emergency, seconds count!

The response of the closest fire engine in an emergency brings trained firefighters to your home or place of business in minutes. Most times, the fire engine is closer to the call than the ambulance. Emergency lifesaving equipment, such as, oxygen, cardiac defibrillators, and epinephrine are carried on the fire engine. This response, together with the paramedic ambulance personnel, contributes to a quality emergency response.

The fire engine response is beneficial in many ways. It provides for immediate medical intervention, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, enough personnel on the scene to provide for supervision of the patient and scene, and the ability to aid the paramedic ambulance personnel while they administer drugs or other life-saving measures. We assist with the movement of a stretcher throughout the building, especially on stairways or when slippery conditions are encountered. It is necessary to have more than two ambulance personnel to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, especially when moving the patient. Teamwork is the name of the game and your wellbeing, qualified medical evaluation and intervention is the mission of the Marlborough Fire Department.

This is a value judgment. Only 3% of detectors are likely to fail in the first year, and annual replacement would be very expensive, so that doesn't make sense. At 15 years, the chances are better than 50/50 that your detector has failed, and that seems too big a risk to take. Manufacturers' warranties for the early detectors typically ran out in 3 to 5 years. So, in ten years there is roughly a 30% probability of failure before replacement. This seemed to balance safety and cost in a way that made sense to the responsible technical committees.

If a 30% failure probability still seems too high, remember that replacement on a schedule is only a backup for replacement based on testing. A national study found that when home smoke detectors fail, tend to fail completely. Regular monthly testing will help discover detector failure as well as a dead or missing battery.

The same study showed all the inoperable detectors tested in 1992 were at least 5 years old and predated a 1987 change in product standards that reduced sensitivity to reduce nuisance alarms. Changes in detector chip design, among other improvements, make it likely that electronic failure now occurs at a rate much less than 4 times per million hours of operation.

Replacing detectors after 10 years protects against the accumulated chance of failure, but monthly testing is still your best means of making sure detectors work. Today's detectors are even less vulnerable than the older models to failure.

We offer Tufts Health Plan and Delta Dental.

Read more on our Employee Benefits page.

We will send out notices of the exact date of Open Enrollment in May.

The department is dedicated to addressing areas of concern to the individual, family and community. Emphasis areas include: housing needs, substance abuse, homelessness, teen pregnancy, literacy, unemployment, evictions, emergency food or clothing, disability issue, child care needs, spousal abuse, adolescent issues, family crisis and welfare issues.

Yes. The Department of Human Services maintains a cooperative partnership with a number of community groups, including:

• Marlborough School Department
• UMASS/Marlborough Hospital
• Religious Leaders
• State Governmental Agencies
• Non-profit Organizations
• Boys and Girls Club of MetroWest
• Marlborough Council on Aging
• Marlborough Commission on Disabilities
• Police and Fire Departments
• Marlborough Board of Health
• Veteran's Organizations
• Marlborough Community Services

The resources available through the Department of Human Services include information and referrals, community awareness, advocacy, program development, crisis intervention and fund raising.

Sheds under 200 square feet in size do not require a permit. Any structure in excess of 200 square feet will require a building permit. Additionally, the Massachusetts State Building Code (CMR 780) requires that any structure over 600 square feet require footings.

No. Homeowners should contact a registered home inspector for such services. 

No. Contractors such as builders, electricians, plumbers and gas fitters are licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

You will be called when the permit has been approved and prepared. The individual will call and advise the amount of the permit fee and that it is available to be picked up at the office. If you have paid for the permit at the time of application, the permit will be mailed to the individual who has applied for the permit.

You should allow at least two weeks for your permit. The more involved your job, the longer you should consider for review.

Most public libraries have a copy. You can view and download chapters of the Massachusetts State Building Code - 780 CMR. You may purchase a copy at the Massachusetts State Bookstore.

The City of Marlborough does not have any regulations in excess of CMR 780, State Building Code. There are, however, dimensional issues such as setbacks that are governed by Marlborough's Zoning Ordinance. Further information is available by contacting the office.

If you are a licensed contractor or the owner of a one- or two-family home that you occupy, you are eligible to apply for your own permit. Homeowners are cautioned, however, if they have been requested to obtain the permit by their contractor they may wish to contact this office to discuss the full ramifications of this. View the State Licensed Renovation, Repair and Painting Contractors (PDF).

If you are doing work that opens or alters walls in all probability you will be required to apply for a permit. Additionally, construction of sheds, fences, decks, pools all require permits.

Building permits are managed by the Office of Inspectional Services.

The MA Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) has a list of activities requiring (or not requiring) either a construction supervisor (CSL) license and/or a home improvement contractor registration and building permit.

Yes. Please email the Legal Department to inquire about an internship with our office.

To make a request, please visit the City Clerk's webpage for contact information for the Records Access Officer.

You can contact the Office of the City Clerk for a copy of an ordinance, or view the online version of the Municipal Code.

A claim form may be picked up in person from the City Clerk's Office, or it can be obtained online from the City Clerk page. Please note state law imposes certain notice requirements and time deadlines for the filing of claims.

No. The Legal Department provides legal advice to the City of Marlborough and its officials, boards and departments. You may wish to contact one of the following agencies:

Massachusetts Bar Association
20 West Street
Boston, MA 02111-1218
Phone: 800-392-6164

MetroWest Legal Services
63 Fountain Street, Suite 304
Framingham, MA 01702
Phone: 508-620-1830

Contact the Chief Procurement Officer via phone request at 508-460-3707, in person at City Hall, or via email, for either a:

• "Request to Purchase" form;
• "Have City-Owned Property Abandoned" form; or
• "Abutter Lots Request to Purchase Application" form.

The appropriate form will be determined based on value and/or use.

All City-owned property made available for disposition is sold "as is". The City makes no representations or warranties with respect to the suitability of any lot for any particular purpose, or as to the applicability or effect of any local, state, or Federal law. Selection of a proposal and sale of real property by the City pursuant to M.G.L. procedures do not ensure that zoning or other approval will be granted.

More information is available on the Procurement Office page.

"Abuse" is defined as:

The occurrence of one or more of the following acts between family or household members:

• Attempting to cause or causing physical harm;
• Placing another in fear of imminent serious physical harm;
• Cause another to engage involuntarily in sexual relations.

"Family or household members," defined as people who are or were:

• Married; or
• Living together in the same household, including same-sex relationships; or
• Related by blood or are/were related by marriage; or
• Parents of a common child, regardless of whether they have ever been married or lived together; or
• Involved in a substantive dating relationship. The law does cover those parties who are or have been involved in a "substantive dating relationship", including same-sex relationships.

Yes. If your children are abused as defined, you can obtain a restraining order on their behalf or have them listed on your restraining order for their protection as well as yours.

During evenings, weekends, and holidays, you can go to the police department to obtain an emergency restraining order.

Yes. If you get an emergency restraining order through the Police Department, you will have to go to the local district court on the next business day to have the order extended.

The abuser is served with the restraining order, advised that violating the order could result in their arrest, and also advised of a hearing date when they can have their side the story heard.

A violation of a restraining order is a criminal offense. The abuser will be subject to arrest or criminal charges sought against them should they violate the restraining order.

Yes. Each solicitor must complete an application, show positive I.D., provide two photographs of themselves and also provide a letter from any jurisdiction where you have lived or solicited within the past five years stating that you do not have a criminal record or have been charged with violations of that jurisdictions soliciting laws.

Yes. You will receive a picture solicitor identification.

Yes. There is a permit application and $25.00 fee (checks made payable to the "City of Marlborough").

No.

Each individual will need to go through the application process.

Resident solicitations are permitted between Monday through Saturday, from noon until 7 pm.

No resident solicitations are permitted on Sundays or Holidays.

Violations of this City Ordinance is an arrestable offense.

You can go to the police department with valid identification and fill out an inquiry form. You may also receive information regarding Level III sex offenders by going to the Sex Offender Registry Board.

Yes, if the sex offender is a level II or a level III. You can obtain that information by inquiring at your local police department.

Yes. A registered sex offender who lives in one community and moves to another community must appear in person at the police department where they will be residing and give their new address.

Level I Sex Offenders are deemed a low risk to re-offend and only law enforcement personnel are allowed to have access to that information. There is no public dissemination allowed.

Level II Sex Offenders are at a moderate risk to re-offend and the public can receive this information upon request.

Level III Sex Offenders are at a high risk to re-offend and it is considered that the degree of dangerousness posed to the public is such that a substantial public safety interest is served by active community notification.

No, there are no fees for this service.

Violations of this City Ordinance is an arrestable offense.

Subject to periodic changes by the Commonwealth, current law requires a public procurement procedure for expenditures of supplies or services and construction projects estimated to cost $10,000 or more. Under $10,000, the City of Marlborough follows sound business practices.  Sound business practices is defined as "Ensuring the receipt of favorable prices by periodically soliciting price lists or quotes." For a summary of procurement thresholds and requirements for public procurement, click on the following link.   Office of the Inspector General Procurement Charts

Below is a brief summary:

• Less than $10,000 - Sound Business Practices
• $10,000 to $50,000 - Formal Quote Process ($100,000 for municipal or regional school districts - As of Nov. 25, 2022)
• $50,000 or more - Sealed Bid (IFB) or Proposal Process (RFP)

Current procurements requiring public notice are posted under the Current Bids Section of the Procurement Office website page. 

Notices for bids/proposals including deadlines, where and when plans and specifications are available, how to obtain bid/proposal documents, pre-bid conferences and related information, and contact information for the appropriate person is listed in each public notice. 

In addition, questions or requests can be emailed to the Procurement Office unless otherwise directed in the public notice. 

Many inquiries come to the City as the result of outside hosting services using abbreviated notices in the Central Register, notices advertised through the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Commbuys) or a newspaper legal notice -   Mass Public Notices.  Please reference the official bid or proposal documents for all information. 

As a convenience to potential bidders/proposers, the City of Marlborough utilizes an online hosting website for construction projects. Project Dog contact information is listed in the public notice. As of the release date, this information is available 24 hours/7 days a week. Addenda notification is automated. Instructions to obtain bid documents: "Go to the Project Dog website and select "Sign Up" for free set, or login to your existing account. Enter the project code number (from the public notice advertisement) in the project locator box. Select "Acquire Documents" to download bid documents; review a hard copy at Project Dog's physical location at 18 Graf Road, Suite 8, Newburyport, MA 01950; or request a free project CD. Questions regarding the website or project distribution should be directed to Project Dog at 978-499-9014."

Do not call the day of the bid/proposal opening to request results. Summaries of construction bid results are generally posted on Project Dog’s website (if Project Dog hosting was used for the bid/proposal process). For other bids, review the closed bid section of the Procurement page for updates, or Contact the Procurement Office for other inquiries.  

• Advertising is per statutory requirements consisting of: Goods and Services Bulletin or the Central Register depending upon procurement law and dollar value of the contract. Newspaper - Most notices are published in the Metro West Daily given the municipal discount advantage not less than 14 days prior to receipt of bids or proposals. City Clerk's Bulletin board or Department Bulletin Board for DPW public works construction projects; MCDA-HA and MCDA. Optional: City's website - Procurement Office or Departments.
• Read the entire procurement package: You must make note of such things including, but not limited to, mandatory or special requirements such as: when DCAMM certification is required (refer to Procurement Chart c.149), when MassDOT certification is required (refer to Procurement Chart c.30, 39M), performance and payment bond requirements (contract amounts $25,000 and above), insurance requirements as recommended by the City's insurer for type of procurement, prevailing wage rates determined by the Commonwealth's Department of Labor, Division of Occupational Safety (public construction projects and some maintenance projects affecting public buildings or land), submission of questions during the Question and Answer time period specified.
• Note the Procurement Schedule: Every procurement process includes a timetable related to the procurement process being conducted. Bidders should ensure that they are aware of and meet any applicable due date requirements for submission of a quote, bid or proposal.
• Attend the Bidder's Conference/Meeting, if offered: Opportunity to hear an overview of the procurement, better understand what is being purchased or the required services and to clarify potential bidder's questions. No matter whether you think the question is important or not, it should be asked. Generally, attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended.
• Submit Questions: Most City procurements provide for a period during which written questions may be submitted. These questions are answered and provided to all bidders on record as having received the procurement package.
• Comply with Instructions: Be sure that your submission is packaged in the manner set forth in the procurement requirements. If prevailing wage rates are required, the City must obtain them and provide them to prospective bidders for the project.
• Submit a Responsive Bid: Be sure that you have signed the quote, bid or proposal being submitted, provided all required bid deposits (if any), forms and/or certifications and do not deviate from the terms and conditions. Any exceptions should be raised during the Q&A period to allow the City to determine whether or not it will waive or amend any requirements specified by the procurement package.
• Do Not Be Late: Late submissions will be rejected and not accepted. Be sure to note all deadlines critical to bidders and the manner of submission for a quote, bid or proposal.

You can read books from a variety of sources, such as school or a daycare, but we encourage you to take advantage of all the wonderful books that the children’s room has to offer. It’s a great and inexpensive way of adding a variety of books to your reading time.

Yes, you may also count the books that your child is reading in school or at a library storytime as well. We have a number of storytimes throughout the week. Please check our calendar for dates and times.

The 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten has a suggested reading list and Scholastic has more recommendations for ages 3-5.   You can also always ask our friendly staff at the children's desk for more recommendations!

Yes.

No, the windrows on residential streets will not be hauled away.

No, it is the resident’s responsibility to clear access to their property.

The City sands/salts roadways whenever there is a winter storm event.  The frequency the roadways are treated depends on many weather related variables.

Stacked snow is removed from the downtown and business zones after plowing.  At major arterial roadways and snow route bus runs, snow is removed when the windrows are more than 8 inches or cause operational problems.

Yes, but it may be one or two days after a storm is over.

The priority is set based on traffic volume, traffic speed, steepness of road grade, susceptibility to icing, etc.

You can call the Department of Public Works, Street Division at 508-624-6910, ext. 33300.

Although the City attempts to clear the catch basins on major roadways, residents should clear the catch basins and hydrants in front of their house.

Please note that an application for abatement does not mean that you do not pay your Motor Vehicle Excise Tax. In the event that an abatement is granted due to sale, trade, theft, loss, etc, the amount abated will be refunded to you. No abatement shall be granted for less than $5, and no amount shall be refunded below $5. The Board of Assessors has the authority to abate an excise tax bill only if an application is timely filed. To be filed in a timely manner, an application must be received on or before December 31st of the year following the year to which the excise tax bill relates. Once registered in the year, a bill can be abated only if the vehicle is sold, traded, junked, totaled or otherwise disposed of and the plates are transferred to another vehicle or canceled. If the vehicle is disposed of and the plates are not transferred or canceled, no abatement can be issued; or if the plates have been canceled or transferred and the original vehicle is not disposed of, no abatement can be issued.

You may be eligible for an excise abatement in any of the situations listed below. Come into the Assessor's Office to complete an Abatement Application and provide us with all the required documentation. All requested supporting documentation must be supplied for the bill to be abated.

• Sold: Bill of sale and Plate Return Receipt or new registration if plate transferred.
• Traded: New registration or Plate Return Receipt and Purchase Agreement citing vehicle as trade-in.
• Stolen or Total Loss: Insurance Company Settlement Letter and C-19 form (Affidavit of Lost or Stolen Plate from Registry) or new registration if plate transferred.
• Moved from Massachusetts: Registration from new state and a Plate Return Receipt.
• Junked Vehicle: Receipt from junkyard and Plate Return Receipt or new registration is plate transferred.
• Vehicle Returned to Dealer: Letter from dealer acknowledging receipt of vehicle and Plate Return Receipt or new registration if plate transferred.
• Charitable Donation: Letter from Charity acknowledging receipt of vehicle and Plate Return Receipt or new registration if plate transferred.
• Active Duty Non-Resident: When your excise tax abatement is processed you will receive an Abatement Certificate from the Board of Assessors. If a refund is due, a check will follow from the Tax Collector.

For questions about vehicle registration information or vehicle valuation, call the Registry of Motor Vehicles Excise Tax Correction Bureau at 617-351-9380, or visit their website to change your address or get general information.

Motor vehicle excise tax is an annual tax for the privilege of registering a motor vehicle or trailer. Anyone who registers a vehicle in Massachusetts will receive an excise tax bill from the municipality where the vehicle is garaged. The amount of excise tax due is calculated by multiplying the value of the vehicle by the tax rate ($25 per thousand dollars of value). The value of the vehicle is determined by the Registry formula taking the applicable percentage for the year of the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). The manufacturer's list price rather than the actual purchase price is used to calculate motor vehicle excise tax.

Applicable Percentage for the Year:

• In the year preceding the year of the manufacture: 50%
• In the year of manufacture: 90%
• In the second year of manufacture: 60%
• In the third year of manufacture: 40%
• In the fourth year of manufacture: 25%
• In the fifth and succeeding year of manufacture: 10%

Do not ignore your excise bill! Even though you may have sold, traded or otherwise disposed of the vehicle, your bill is always due thirty (30) days from the issue date. If the bill is unpaid and remains outstanding more than thirty (30) days after its issue date, it will accrue interest charges and fees for which you will be responsible. Your driver's license and/or vehicle registration will also be returned to the Registry of Motor Vehicles for non-renewal action.

Abatement applications are available by clicking on the link from the previous page or by visiting our office. Abatements can be filed for thirty days following the mailing of the first tax bill of the fiscal year usually during the month of January. The filing deadline is always printed on the tax bill. Please keep in mind the Board of Assessors has no jurisdiction to act on an application that is filed later than 5 pm on the day the abatement application is due.

The Board of Assessors looks for persuasive evidence before changing any assessment. Applications should include a complete description of factual errors. For example, errors in number of baths, year built, square footage of living area, etc. Factual errors usually require a site visit. Or, if you believe your property is over-assessed, provide an analysis of comparable sale properties with your abatement application. The analysis should include at least recent sales of homes that are similar to yours in characteristics such as style, living area, number of bedrooms, lot size and location. Property record cards are available to support your claim.

You will receive a notice of decision on your application within three months of the date you filed an application. If an abatement is granted, your second-half tax bill will be reduced by the amount of the abatement. If the Board of Assessors denies your application, there is an additional appeal process available. The appeal must be filed within ninety days of the Board of Assessors' decision, by contacting the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board, 399 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108-5292, at 617-727-3100.

Filing an Application for Abatement does not stay the collection of your taxes. In order to preserve your rights of appeal, pay the tax when due.

Property tax assessments are billed for fiscal year 2004, with an effective date of January 1, 2003. This means that the owner as of January 1, 2003 should appear on the tax bill. However, as the current owner, you should still pay the tax bill before the due date to avoid interest from being assessed and a tax lien being placed on the property.

This is the beginning of an ongoing program that will have no end. Different property types will be inspected on a rotating basis so that it is hoped that it will not be necessary to inspect any individual property more than once every 9 years unless alterations or additions were made.

Properties are inspected by the Assessing staff with new construction, or additions, porches, finished basements etc. are completed. This information is compiled in conjunction with the issuing of building permits and occupancy certificates.

Historically, there are many instances when homeowners will complete additions etc. without taking out a permit. This program is designed to assure all are paying their fair share of the tax levy.

The last time Marlborough conducted a Measure and List program was the early 1980s. Fiscal 2003 was a re-certification year for us. At the same time, we converted our assessment software system. The combination of these two issues resulted in the uncovering of the need for this update. As a result, the Dept of Revenue required the Measure and List program to commence. One of the options they have is not to certify our values which would result in the issuing of estimated bills until the requirement is met. The result of that would be an extra cost for billing and administration to the City and the possibility that when values were certified, taxpayers would have to make up large deficits in tax payments over a short period of time.

The Department of Revenue mandates that all property in any municipality be inspected on an ongoing rotation basis to ensure the accuracy of information that is used for the basis of our assessments. If a property has fewer features than what is noted by the assessment record card, the result could be an assessment that is too high. If a property has features that are more than what the assessor has, the result could be an assessment that is too low. The result of that scenario is that other taxpayers pay an inequitable amount of taxes.

If you believe there are factual errors in date pertaining to your property, or you believe that comparable sale properties are assessed substantially less (ten percent) than your property, then you should file an Abatement Application.

Call the Board of Assessors at 508-460-3779.

Call the Collector's Office at 508-460-3773.

To qualify for a motor vehicle excise Blind Exemption, all of the following must be met:

• Permanent impairment of vision in both eyes;
• Must own and register vehicle for their own personal use;
• Must submit either a certificate from the Division of the Blind or a physician's letter;
• Vehicle must be owned and registered by blind person.

To qualify for a motor vehicle excise Handicapped Exemption, all of the following must be met:

• Must suffer either the lost of or the permanent loss of use of both arms or both legs;
• A letter from a physician stating such loss;
• If exemption is sought due to loss of use of limbs, the letter must state that is a permanent loss;
• Vehicle must be owned and registered by a handicapped person.

If a person qualifies for a blind or handicapped motor vehicle exemption and owns more than one vehicle, they have the right to choose which vehicle the exemption is applied to.

Report a rat sighting

If you are interested in applying for a voucher, contact the local PHA. For further assistance, please contact the HUD Office nearest to you.

Download an application.

The housing choice voucher program places the choice of housing in the hands of the individual family. A very low-income family is selected by the PHA to participate is encouraged to consider several housing choices to secure the best housing for the family needs. A housing voucher holder is advised of the unit size for which it is eligible based on family size and composition.

The housing unit selected by the family must meet an acceptable level of health and safety before the PHA can approve the unit. When the voucher holder finds a unit that it wishes to occupy and reaches an agreement with the landlord over the lease terms, the PHA must inspect the dwelling and determine that the rent requested is reasonable.

The PHA determines a payment standard that is the amount generally needed to rent a moderately-priced dwelling unit in the local housing market and that is used to calculate the amount of housing assistance a family will receive. However, the payment standard does not limit and does not affect the amount of rent a landlord may charge or the family may pay. A family that receives a housing voucher can select a unit with a rent that is below or above the payment standard. The housing voucher family must pay 30% of its monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, and if the unit rent is greater than the payment standard the family is required to pay the additional amount. By law, whenever a family moves to a new unit where the rent exceeds the payment standard, the family may not pay more than 40% of its adjusted monthly income for rent.

The Rent Subsidy

The PHA calculates the maximum amount of housing assistance allowable. The maximum housing assistance is generally the lesser of the payment standard minus 30% of the family's monthly adjusted income or the gross rent for the unit minus 30% of monthly adjusted income.

Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by the PHA based on the total annual gross income and family size and is limited to U.S. citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. Median income levels are published by HUD and vary by location. The PHA serving your community can provide you with the income limits for your area and family size.

During the application process, the PHA will collect information on family income, assets, and family composition. The PHA will verify this information with other local agencies, your employer and bank, and will use the information to determine program eligibility and the amount of the housing assistance payment. If the PHA determines that your family is eligible, the PHA will put your name on a waiting list, unless it is able to assist you immediately. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, the PHA will contact you and issue to you a housing voucher.

Since the demand for housing assistance often exceeds the limited resources available to HUD and the local housing agencies, long waiting periods are common. PHAs may establish local preferences for selecting applicants from their waiting lists. The MCDA has a preference for those who live and/or work in the City of Marlborough.

A family's housing needs change over time with changes in family size, job locations, and for other reasons. The housing choice voucher program is designed to allow families to move without the loss of housing assistance. Moves are permissible as long as the family notifies the PHA ahead of time, terminates its existing lease within the lease provisions, and finds acceptable alternate housing.

Under the voucher program, new voucher-holders may choose a unit anywhere in the United States if the family lived in the jurisdiction of the PHA issuing the voucher when the family applied for assistance. Those new voucher-holders not living in the jurisdiction of the PHA at the time the family applied for housing assistance must initially lease a unit within that jurisdiction for the first twelve months of assistance. A family that wishes to move to another PHA's jurisdiction must consult with the PHA that currently administers its housing assistance to verify the procedures for moving.

No, the Commission does not have a local ordinance. However, the Commission does have a 30-foot wetland setback policy which prohibits any work within 30 feet of the wetland. Since wetlands are important to a healthy environment, the 30-foot buffer zone provides added protection to this sensitive resource area. 

The city maintains ten parcels of conservation land with trail systems. These are located throughout the city. There are two State parks: Callahan State Park and Marlborough State Forest that also exist within the City's boundaries. The Assabet River Rail Trail, is a trail constructed on an old railroad line used for walking, inline skating, biking and jogging which is located in parts of Marlborough and nearby towns of Hudson and Maynard. In fall of 2019, there will be two new trails: the Panther trail, which will be a marathon-length loop throughout the city, and the Boroughs trail, which is a 33-mile loop connecting Marlborough with Southborough, Westborough and Northborough. See the Trail Maps page.. Maps are also available in paper form in the Conservation Office at City Hall 3rd floor, Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm.

The city has an open space and recreation plan (PDF). See the maps associated with this plan (PDF).

The plan is updated every 5 years and provides the vision to guide the elected officials in what lands are important for recreation and conservation.

When work is being proposed within 100 feet of a wetland (pond, lake, stream or wetland) or 200 feet from a river, a permit from the Conservation Commission is required.  The Commission is enforcing the state Wetlands Protection Act.  Please call the Conservation Department office or e-mail us if you are not sure if there are wetlands on or near your property or proposed project.

Wetlands are important for the protection of surface and groundwater supplies, they help prevent storm damage, provide flood control, and they provide habitat to fisheries, shell fish, and wildlife.  Wetlands act as natures “water purification system” and are extremely vital to a healthy environment.  

Work is any activity that will change the grade of the land or move dirt, create mud or silt, or alter the land by building a structure on a site within 100 feet of a wetland or 200 feet of a river.  

The Commission meets twice a month on the first and third Thursdays of the month. All applications for a permit must be submitted to the Commission two weeks before the hearing so that a legal notice can be placed in the newspaper, to advertise this public hearing. The permit application forms are found online at the DEP website.

• For simple projects use WPA Form 1: Request for Determination of Applicability, involving installation of sheds, removal of a few trees or minor landscaping within 100 feet of a wetland
• For small projects use WPA Form 4: Abbreviated Notice of Intent such as single-family house construction, major landscaping, or wall installation.
• For more major projects use WPA Form 3: Notice of Intent. Please call for our local abutters notice form as well as to receive an abutters list, which we will provide. If you are required to file a stormwater report you must also submit the Stormwater Report Check List
• For Wetland Delineation, use WPA Form 4A: Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation
• And don't forget to use WPA Form 8A: Request for a Certificate of Compliance when a project has been completed.

If you have any questions on what forms to use, please call the office and ask for assistance. Unfortunately, these are state forms and can be complicated, so please do not hesitate to ask for help, that's what we are here for!

For new projects, the landowner should hire a wetland consultant to delineate the wetland boundaries. Wetlands in Massachusetts are defined by the wetland vegetation, wetland soils and hydrology. Wetlands may only have water in them in the spring or during times of high groundwater. It is the plants, the soils and the hydrology, which provide the evidence of the wetland boundary. If you are uncertain whether you have wetlands on your property please call the Conservation Department and we can help you make this determination.

If it is a project constructed on or before 1980 the Commission may have files on the lot so call the Conservation Department office and we can look up whether there is a file on your property and if there are wetlands on or near your property.

Call the Conservation Office at 508-460-3768 (8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday) or email Priscilla Ryder.

Call the Conservation Office at 508-460-3768 (8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday) or email Priscilla Ryder.

Minutes are made available to the public only when they have been officially approved by the Planning Board. In most cases, the minutes from one meeting are approved at the next meeting, unless the Clerk or Acting Clerk were unavailable at that meeting for a signature. See the minutes online. If you have a request for minutes not posted online, please contact the Office by either telephone or email.

The Planning Board for the City of Marlborough generally meets on the same schedule as the City Council. The schedule is set in January of each year and is reflected on the Planning Board calendar.

Dimensional requirements for land in the City of Marlborough are governed by the City's Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 650). You must first determine whether you have sufficient land to meet the applicable requirements.

Contact a local surveyor or engineer who can determine the best way to subdivide and whether or not your property would meet the requirements of the Subdivision Rules and Regulations.

The Office of Inspectional Services provides assistance to individuals and contractors wishing to do construction in the City of Marlborough. The Office also serves to enforce regulations of the City's zoning ordinance, sign ordinance, fence ordinance, and Massachusetts state building code.

Mass. General Law Chapter 405, Section 15C (The Scenic Roads Act) allows any community to designate roadways within their community as “Scenic Roads”. Any road repair, maintenance, reconstruction, or paving work that will involve the cutting or removal of trees or the alteration of stone walls, or portions thereof on any designated scenic road, must be approved by the Planning Board. Anyone wishing to do such work must make an application for such work and a public hearing must be held before approval may be given.

An "open space" development means a development of residential lots in which land within the subdivision is set aside as permanently protected open space. In consideration for the open space concept, some of the dimensional requirements of that particular zone may be reduced.

A public hearing will be held for any preliminary or definitive subdivision plan. Abutters within five hundred (500) feet of the land being subdivided will be notified. The requirement states that the notification will go to the abutters who owned the property as of January 1st of that year.

Most subdivisions involve multiple lots on a larger parcel of land with the construction of a roadway. In some cases, single lots can be carved out of a larger lot or there can be a land swap between neighbors that does not require a full subdivision plan because the lots will meet all of the dimensional requirements of the current zoning as it applied to frontage requirements. In that case the term "approval not required" actually means "approval not required under the Subdivision Control Law." In that instance, the Planning Board reviews the plan to ensure that the plan meets three standards:

• The lots shown on the plan must front on one of three types of ways as specified in Chapter 41, Section 81L, MGL;
• The lots shown on the plan must meet the minimum frontage requirements as specified in Chapter 41, Section 81L, MGL; and
• The Planning Board's determination that the vital access to the lots as contemplated by Chapter 41, Section 81L, MGL., otherwise exist.

The following streets were designated as Scenic Roads by the City Council on June 22, 1992:

• Ash Street
• Beach Street
• Berlin Road
• Bigelow Street
• Brigham Street
• Church Street
• Clover Hill Street
• Concord Road
• Dudley Street
• East Dudley Street
• Elm Street
• Farm Road
• Fitchburg Street
• Framingham Road
• Hemenway Street
• Hemenway Street Extension
• Hosmer Street
• Millham Road
• Parmenter Road
• Pleasant Street
• Robin Hill Road
• Spoonhill Avenue
• Stevens Street
• Stow Road
• Sudbury Street
• Wayside Inn Road
• West Hill Road
• Westborough Road

Direct deposit is now available to all retirees and survivors. You can take advantage of this safe and efficient method of payment by contacting the Retirement Office for an Authorization for Direct Deposit of Retirement Benefit Form.

If you have terminated your position and will not be reemployed in any city, state, or local government in Massachusetts, you are usually eligible to receive a refund of your annuity savings account. Read more at the Massachusetts Request a Refund of Your Retirement Contributions webpage.

Active members may change their beneficiary by completing the Beneficiary Change Form (PDF).

Have you moved? Is your personal information incorrect? Please contact us at 508-460-3760.

According to Mass General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 10:

In order for the Zoning Board of Appeals to legally grant a variance, all three findings must be made, i.e. the Board must find:

• A substantial hardship, financial or otherwise;
• No substantial detriment to the public good;
• No substantial derogation from the intent and purpose of the ordinance and that owing to the soil conditions, shape or topography of the land or structures, but not affecting generally the zoning district in which it is located, a literal enforcement of the ordinance would bring about item (1) above.

Regarding the definition of "Hardship" once the above factors are considered, "financial" hardship can be used for a grounds of relief. However, the "financial hardship" must inure to all owners of the land in question as a result of its unique condition, not merely to the present owner owning to his or her peculiar or particular financial status.

The secretary to the Zoning Board will generate an abutters covering a 300 ft. radius from the property in question. And it will be the responsibility of the applicant to notify the abutters either by Certified Mail or Certificate of Mailing.

The Board only meets when there are filings to be heard. If they do meet, it is usually on a Tuesday evening at 7 pm. If necessary, the Board can/will continue public hearings.

To hear testimony regarding why an appeal is being request. An appeal to the permit granting authority as the zoning ordinance or by-law may provide, may be taken by any person aggrieved by reason of his inability to obtain a permit or enforcement action from any administrative officer under the provisions of Chapter 40A, by the regional planning agency in whose area the city or town is situated, or by any person including an officer or board of the city of town, or of an abutting city or town aggrieved by an order or decision of the inspector of buildings who is also the Zoning Enforcement Officer, or other administrative official, in violation of any provision of this chapter or any ordinance or by-law adopted thereunder. To hear requests for Special Permits the Zoning bylaw must designate the Board as the Special Permit Granting Authority. The Board also is the permit granting authority for Comprehensive Permits (Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40B Sections 21-23).

The Zoning Board of Appeals is a five member board.

The City’s Building Inspector is the Zoning Enforcement Officer.

The fees are listed on the application form and are based on the "proposed use" of the property:

• Residential, Non-Revenue Bearing: $130
• Business, Commercial or Automotive: $375

There is also a legal advertising fee which the applicant will be billed directly from the newspaper in which the ad will appear twice.

If the Board closes and votes at the first hearing date, the Zoning Board secretary prepares all the paper work to be filed and stamped with the City Clerk's Office, that is when the 20 day appeal will start.

After the 20 day appeal period, the City Clerk's Office will mail to the applicant a stamped original decision stating the 20 day appeal period is complete.

No appeal, application or petition which as been unfavorably and finally acted upon by the special permit granting or permit granting authority shall be acted favorably upon within two years after the date of final unfavorable action unless said special permit granting authority or permit authority finds, by a unanimous vote of the Board.

The City of Marlborough General Code can be found online.