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Landscapers in Billerica, MA
Two rivers, a lake and miles of brooks run through Billerica, so many yard projects start with wetland and flood rules. Call (000) 000-0000 or send the form for a free estimate. We'll review your request and help you with the next step.
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- North Billerica to Pinehurst
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Landscaping services in Billerica
What are you planning in Billerica?
Patios & Walkways
Pavers, bluestone and natural stone, set on a compacted base that survives frost.
Retaining Walls
Block and stone walls that hold a slope, with drainage behind them.
Landscape Design & Plantings
A plan for the whole yard, then beds, shrubs and trees that suit the site.
Yard Drainage
Grading, drains and dry wells for wet lawns and water near the foundation.
Outdoor Living
Fire pits, outdoor kitchens, pergolas and seating walls.
Billerica, village by village
Two rivers, mill villages and lake cottages
The Concord River runs nearly ten miles through Billerica and the Shawsheen cuts across the other side of town. Most of the town sits between 80 and 150 feet above sea level, rising to 320 feet at Fox Hill. About 40 percent of its soils are sandy Windsor-Hinckley loams that drain fast, and sand and gravel follow the rivers across the northern third of town. West of the Shawsheen it's mostly glacial till, and about a tenth of the town is muck and marsh.
Billerica Center
The town grew around its original common, with a small Victorian residential district along Main Street. The Center is one of Billerica's four local historic districts, where most exterior work, including fences and walls, goes to the Historic Districts Commission.
North Billerica
A 19th-century mill village on the Concord River, with brick textile mills and double houses and cottages built for workers. Smaller lots near the river, where wetland setbacks and drainage come up early.
East Billerica
Grew as a secondary center around the canal and the railroad, including a small cluster of houses once called Pattenville. Older village houses sit alongside later subdivisions.
Pinehurst
Subdivided along the Shawsheen River around 1910 to 1920. Lots near the river fall inside the town's 200-foot riverfront area, so the Conservation Commission is part of many projects here.
Nutting Lake
An 80-acre lake ringed by small Colonial Revival and cottage-style houses from the same era. Tight, lakeside lots mean compact patios and careful attention to the wetland strip.
Wetlands and floodplain
Why the water comes first in Billerica
With the Concord and Shawsheen Rivers, Nutting Lake, Winning Pond and a long list of brooks, a large share of Billerica yards sit within 100 feet of a resource area. The town's wetlands bylaw and its 2008 regulations add local rules on top of the state's:
- A no-alteration strip of natural vegetation: at least 50 feet on undeveloped lots, 25 feet for work on lots legally developed as of June 27, 2003, and wider on slopes steeper than 2:1 without a retaining wall.
- A cap on hard surfaces: new impervious surface in the buffer zone limited to 25 percent of the buffer area on the site.
- Plan for the future: applicants have to show that foreseeable patios and fences won't intrude into the no-alteration strip.
- Rivers: a 200-foot riverfront area, with a 25-foot vegetated strip next to the bank.
Floodplain. Billerica's open space plan notes the town has 51 repetitive-loss flood properties, the most of any non-coastal community in the region, with a history of flooding on the west bank of the Concord. Building in the floodplain needs a special permit, and the Board of Health bars new construction within 100 feet of the 100-year floodplain without a variance.
Permits and local rules
Permits and approvals in Billerica
Building permit. The Building Department at Town Hall issues permits. Billerica's zoning counts fences over six feet and retaining walls over four feet as structures. Under the state building code, walls over four feet from the bottom of the footing, or walls supporting a load above, need a permit and a licensed construction supervisor.
Conservation. The Conservation Commission reviews work within the 100-foot buffer and 200-foot riverfront area under the town bylaw and regulations above.
Historic districts. Billerica has four local historic districts: the Center, North Billerica Mills, the Corner and Richardson Mill. Most exterior work in them needs a certificate from the Historic Districts Commission, requested through the Planning Director, and the commission's application lists fences and walls.
Scenic roads. Concord Road and Dudley Road are designated scenic roads. Removing more than 15 linear feet of stone wall or cutting trees four inches or more in diameter in the road right-of-way needs a Planning Board hearing.
Watering and irrigation. From May 1 to September 30, nonessential outdoor watering is barred from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with stricter limits when usage exceeds the town's benchmark or during drought. New irrigation systems need a plumbing permit, a rain sensor and a backflow preventer.
Licensing. We verify the credentials a job requires before we send a contractor any calls.
New England Landscapers is a referral service. We don't pull permits or do landscaping work. The contractor who does the job handles the permit.
FAQ
Billerica questions
How close to a wetland can I put a patio in Billerica?
Billerica's wetland regulations require a strip of undisturbed vegetation next to resource areas: at least 50 feet on undeveloped lots, and 25 feet for work on lots legally developed as of June 27, 2003, with more on steep slopes. New hard surfaces in the 100-foot buffer are capped at 25 percent of the buffer area on the site. Talk to the Conservation Commission before you design.
Are there watering restrictions in Billerica?
Yes, from May 1 to September 30 every year. Nonessential outdoor watering isn't allowed between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and stricter day limits apply when the town's water use exceeds its benchmark or the state declares a drought. The DPW sets and posts the days.
What do I need for an irrigation system?
Under Billerica's water conservation bylaw, an automatic irrigation system needs a permit from the Plumbing Inspector, a rain sensor and a backflow preventer.
Can I remove a stone wall along my road?
On Billerica's designated scenic roads, Concord Road and Dudley Road, removing more than 15 feet of stone wall or cutting trees four inches or more in diameter in the road right-of-way needs a Planning Board hearing, and stones can't leave the site.
Is there a charge to use New England Landscapers?
No. The call and the referral are free to homeowners. Your estimate and any work are agreed directly between you and the contractor.
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