Gloucester Plans & Municipal Contacts
This page provides an overview of Gloucester's key planning documents, zoning policies, and municipal bodies that shape housing, land use, environmental resilience, and community development. Together, these plans and boards guide how Gloucester grows, invests, and remains a place where people of all ages, incomes and backgrounds can live and thrive.
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Active & Governing Policies and Plans
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Comprehensive Plans:
Gloucester’s Comprehensive Plans are long-term planning efforts to align growth, housing, infrastructure, and climate resilience with the needs of residents and the character of the city. Guided by community input, Comprehensive Plans inform policy, investment, and decision-making to support a more inclusive, sustainable, and economically resilient Gloucester.
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Gloucester’s Comprehensive Plan, 2025-2035
The Community Development Plan for the City Of Gloucester, 2001
Housing & Land Use Planning:
Gloucester’s Housing Production Plans are a state-recognized planning tool, typically updated every five years, that assesses local housing needs and outlines strategies to increase the supply and diversity of housing in the city. It guides policies and actions to support both affordable and market-rate housing, helping ensure residents of all ages and incomes can continue to live in Gloucester while maintaining eligibility for state housing incentives.
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Housing Compass, ongoing
Housing Production Plan, 2017
Community Preservation Plan (2020)
Downtown Planning:
Gloucester Downtown Market Analysis, 2014
Reimagining Railroad Planning Process, 2014
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Open Space & Land Use Planning:
Open Space and Recreation Plan, 2022-2029
Open Space and Recreation Plan, 2011-2017
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Harbor & Waterfront Planning:
Gloucester Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area Master Plan, 2025
Gloucester Municipal Harbor Plan and DPA Master Plan (2014)
Gloucester Harbor Plan/Designate Port Area Master Plan (2009)
Watershed and Water Supply Vulnerability and Management Strategy (2019)
Climate & Resiliency Planning:
Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP) (2022)
Climate Action and Resilience Plan, 2021
Local Rapid Recovery Plan (2021)
Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Planning (2018)
Housing Ordinances & Zoning:
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance
Multi-Family Overlay District Zoning (for MBTA Communities Act compliance)
Gloucester's Full Zoning Ordinance, Codified through Ordinance No. 2022-072, adopted April 26, 2022. (Supp. No. 5)
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​City Departments & Boards Shaping Housing
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The executive powers of the city fall under the office of the Mayor. It is the Mayor that causes laws, ordinances and orders for the government of the city to be enforced.
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The City Council is responsible for the enactment of the City Laws which are found in the Code of Ordinances and in the Gloucester Zoning Ordinance. In connection with this legislative and zoning power, the City Council holds public hearings on proposed changes to the laws including adopting new laws and on applications for various types of Zoning Permits.
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​Planning & Development Standing Committee
Under the City Charter, the City Council has three standing committees, each of which is comprised of three members. The Planning and Development Committee deals with all matters which effect of land use, planning, zoning and other development of the city.
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The Planning Board, authorized and formed pursuant to MGL Chapter 41, sections 81-A-81J, is the City’s primary agency responsible for the establishment of planning and community development policies. In addition to statutory responsibilities, the Planning Board formulates policies which guide land use and the development of municipal facilities, educates the public and other multi-member bodies with respect to those policies and, with the cooperation of the Community Development Department, studies issues or projects related to the development of the City.
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The Zoning Board of Appeals hears requests for relief from local zoning regulations, including variances, special permits, and appeals of decisions made by the Building Commissioner. The ZBA plays a key role in interpreting zoning rules and balancing neighborhood impacts with property rights, including decisions that can affect housing development, density, and land use.
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The Building Department administers and enforces the state building code and local bylaws, reviews building permit applications, and conducts inspections to ensure construction is safe and compliant. In housing development, the department plays a critical role in translating approved plans into buildable projects, ensuring that new and renovated homes meet health, safety, accessibility, and code requirements.
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Community Development Department
The Community Development Department guides Gloucester’s physical growth and economic development, including planning for housing, infrastructure, and municipal facilities. The department works across city boards and departments and advises the Mayor on matters affecting development, helping shape policies and projects that influence how and where the city grows.
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Community Preservation Committee
In 2008 Gloucester citizens voted to adopt the Community Preservation Act with a 1% tax surcharge. As required by the CPA a local Community Preservation Committee was formed to make recommendations on CPA projects to the Mayor and the City Council. This fund can only be used to: preserve open space and historic sites, create affordable housing, and develop outdoor recreational facilities.
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The Gloucester Affordable Housing Trust Fund was created to support the creation, preservation, and maintenance of affordable housing in the City of Gloucester. In doing so, it is also the policy of the City of Gloucester and Affordable Housing Trust to protect, preserve, and enhance the economic and social diversity of the City, to provide affordable rental and home-ownership options for people of all ages and income levels, and to accommodate the changing housing needs of families and individuals.
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Health Department
The Health Department protects public health and tenant well-being by enforcing state and local health and housing codes that ensure homes are safe, sanitary, and livable. This includes oversight of habitability standards such as sanitation, lead safety, mold, pests, indoor air quality, and environmental health. The department conducts inspections, responds to complaints, and can require property owners to correct conditions that threaten residents’ health.
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