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Landscapers in North Andover, MA
Much of North Andover drains to Lake Cochichewick, the town's water supply, and yard work near it follows its own 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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- Old Center to Machine Shop Village
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Landscaping services in North Andover
What are you planning in North Andover?
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.
North Andover, area by area
A meetinghouse village, mill streets and a lake
North Andover grew from a farming parish around the Old Center into a mill town along Cochichewick Brook, with large estates on the hills around the lake. Most hills reach near or above 300 feet, and the ground varies from loamy till across the west and center to rock outcrops and poorly drained soils in the southern third, with sandy outwash at the northern tip.
Old Center
The original meetinghouse village around the green, with houses dating to the Parson Barnard House of 1715. It's a local historic district: plantings and at-grade walks and terraces are exempt from review, but fences and walls are not.
Machine Shop Village
Mill housing along Water, Clarendon, Pleasant and Elm Streets near Cochichewick Brook, including double cottages from 1839. Lots are tight, so patios and plantings have to work in small spaces.
Lake Cochichewick and Osgood Hill
The lake is about 560 acres and supplies the town's water. Around 40 percent of its shoreline is conservation land, including Weir Hill, a 305-foot drumlin. Building in its watershed requires a special permit.
North (Depot) Center
Modest Victorian and Colonial Revival houses on streets like Saunders and Cleveland and in Waverly Park. Typical projects are front walks, foundation plantings and backyard patios.
Sutton's Mills
At the north end of Main Street, with worker housing along Sutton Street. Older, closely spaced houses where drainage away from the foundation is often part of the job.
The watershed district
Building near Lake Cochichewick
Lake Cochichewick is North Andover's water supply, and the town protects its watershed through a zoning district covering roughly 2,700 acres, including about 800 parcels and 43 lakeshore homes. Building in the watershed requires a special permit, and the zoning bylaw sets further limits on grading, clearing and runoff that depend on how close a project is to the lake and its wetlands. Irrigation wells aren't allowed in the watershed.
The practical upshot: before a patio, wall or drainage project is designed, ask the Planning Department whether the lot is in the district and which rules apply. Expect the answer to shape where things can go and how runoff from new paving has to be handled.
Permits and local rules
Permits and approvals in North Andover
Building permit. The Building Department at 120 Main Street issues permits. Fences over six feet need one. Under the state building code, retaining 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 enforces the town wetlands bylaw: a 25-foot no-disturbance zone, a 50-foot no-construction zone and a 100-foot buffer, plus a 200-foot riverfront area along the Merrimack and Shawsheen Rivers and Mosquito, Rocky, Boston and Cochichewick Brooks. Yard waste dumped in a wetland counts as fill.
Old Center Historic District. Plantings, and terraces, walks and driveways at grade level, are exempt from commission review. Fences and walls aren't on the exempt list, so check with the commission first.
Irrigation. Irrigation wells aren't allowed in the Lake Cochichewick watershed. Any irrigation system on public water needs an approved backflow device installed by a licensed plumber under state rules; ask the DPW about local requirements.
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
North Andover questions
Is my house in the Lake Cochichewick watershed district?
The Watershed Protection District covers roughly 2,700 acres and about 800 parcels around the lake. The town's planning office can confirm whether your lot is inside it and which zone applies. Ask before you plan any grading, clearing or new hardscape.
How close to a wetland can I build a patio in North Andover?
The town's wetlands bylaw allows no activity within 25 feet of a wetland resource area, including grading and clearing, and no construction within 50 feet. Driveways and retaining walls in the 50-foot zone may be allowed only where there is no feasible alternative. Work within 100 feet goes to the Conservation Commission.
Do I need a permit for a fence?
Only if it's over six feet high. A fence can go close to the property line as long as no part of it extends onto the neighbor's land. Pools need a self-closing, self-latching gate.
Are there rules for lawn fertilizer?
Yes. Near wetlands, the town requires slow-release, low-nitrogen fertilizer and bans it within 25 feet of a resource area.
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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