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1. I’m building an addition onto my house, where can I obtain a plot plan of my property?

The Engineering Division has a limited number of plot plans on file. The plans on file are typically for houses constructed in the 1960's. Call the Engineering Division to verify if there is a plan available for your property.

2. Where can I obtain a copy of my deed?

The Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds has a complete record of all deeds for the City of Taunton. Deed information may be obtained either in person or by logging onto their website. To obtain information online, you must be a registered user. A fee applies to register for use.

3. Where can I find street layout information?

The Engineering Division has records of many of the City streets. Older streets may not have plans on file, or plans may not exist. The Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds is again a good place to look for this information. Information on State Highway layouts can be obtained through MassHighway's District 5 office located on County Street in Taunton, or by logging onto MassHighway's Survey Control and Layout Plans website.

4. How can I have my land surveyed? Does the City provide survey services?

The City does not provide any survey services for private home owners. The City only provides survey services for City projects or in support of other City departments, and does not undertake any property surveys. The Engineering Division maintains a list of local surveyors that frequently do work in the City.

5. I would like to connect to the City’s sewer and / or water system, where can I get the information to do so?

First, contact the Engineering Division to determine if sewer service is available at your locations. Contact the City's Water Division at 508-821-1045 to determine if water service is available.

If sewer service is available, the Engineering Division may have the sewer main and stub location data necessary for the tie-in. This information can be used by licensed contractors to give home owners a quote for the connection. A sewer permit, and if necessary a street opening permit, must be obtained from the Public Works Department prior to construction. As-built drawing of the connection, showing depths and swing ties must be submitted to the Engineering Division after the connection has been made and approved.

Note: All work must comply with the City of Taunton's sewer regulations, available from the Public Works Department.

6. Where can I find a contractor to make the sewer or water service connections?

The City of Taunton maintains a list of contractors approved for work in the City. This list can be obtained from the Engineering Division or the Public Works Department.

7. What are the setback requirements for my property?

Most setback requirements can be found in the Intensity of Use Table found in the City's Zoning Ordinances. The Zoning Ordinances can be obtained from the Planning Department.

8. Does the City have copies of FEMA flood insurance maps?

Yes. The City has FEMA flood insurance maps on display outside the Engineering office. Copies of the plans, or portions of the plans, may be made for a nominal fee (See Available Resources). Flood insurance maps can also be viewed on FEMA's website.

The City also maintains an Online GIS Viewer that displays flood limits. In order to access this information, follow the steps below:

1. Access the Online GIS Viewer.
2. Specify the property in question by typing in the address, owner's name, or assessor's ID.
3. Above the displayed map, visit the middle tab labeled "Interactive Mapping".
4. In the middle panel on the right side of the screen, labeled "Map layers", scroll down and check off "FEMA Flood". Visit "Refresh map" to display flood zones.

Please note that the flood zones displayed here are base on the old, 1987 maps. The new, 2009 maps are not yet available here. Hard copies of these maps are available for viewing at the City Engineer's office. The new flood maps can also be viewed online by navigating to FEMA's website using the link above.

9. Can I widen, relocate, or add another driveway on my property?

Yes. Any plan to change the configuration of the driveway(s) at the street line requires a street opening permit from the Public Works Department.

10. How do I go about having a house number assigned or changed?

To get a house number assigned, you must fill out the Application for Building Number Form (PDF) and submit it to the Engineering Division. Please note that due to a request by the United States Post Office, we will no longer be assigning A/B number suffixes to houses. We do not encourage changing building numbers due to the many notices of change you must distribute. Please see Change of Address Instructions (PDF) for more information.