Pelullo v. Croft

The meaning of the term lot depth as used in the by-law “is a question of law ... to be determined by the ordinary principles of statutory construction.” Framingham Clinic, Inc. v. Zoning Bd. of Appeals of Framingham, 382 Mass. 283, 290 (1981). Here, the by-law specifically states that undefined terms “shall have their ordinarily accepted meanings or such as the context may imply.” This provision is not a license to give undefined terms in a municipal by-law a meaning that suits the personal views of those charged with its enforcement. Rather, in such cases an undefined term like lot depth…