Frequently Asked Questions

Try to determine what type of animal bit your pet. Put on gloves and wash your animal's wounds with warm soapy water for at least 10 minutes. Contact your veterinarian immediately. If the animal that bit your pet was a possible rabies carrier and your pet is up-to-date on its rabies vaccination, your pet will need to be confined for observation. If it exhibits signs of rabies, it will be humanely killed so its brain can be tested in a laboratory. If your pet is unvaccinated, it may have to be humanely killed or quarantined for six months. Remember: the best way to prevent rabies is to have your pets vaccinated! That is why it is the law in Massachusetts that all dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies.

Notify your local animal control official and your board of health. Don't let it stray or give it away, it should be confined for 10 days for observation to make sure it is not ill with rabies.

When registering for a Park and Recreation program, please make checks payable to the Town of North Attleboro. 

The Park and Recreation Office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm and on Fridays from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm.

The Park opens at 7:30 am. Monday through Friday and 8 am on Saturdays and Sundays.

From April 1st to October 31st, the WWI Park and Zoo closes at 8 pm

From November 1st to March 31st, the WWI Park and Zoo closes at 4 pm

The Park is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, and in inclement weather.

Call the Park and Recreation Office at 508-699-0145 or the WWI Park and Zoo at 508-699-0129 for more information.

The Park and Recreation Office is located in the Mason Fieldhouse at 446 Elm Street. This is where the office hours occur and where program registration takes place. After-hours drop-offs can also be made here in the drop slot in the front double doors of the office.

The mailing address for the Park and Recreation Department is 43 South Washington, North Attleborough, MA 02760.

The Park and Recreation Office is located in the Mason Fieldhouse at 446 Elm Street, North Attleborough, MA 02760

Registration and program payments can be made at the Park and Recreation Office. We accept cash and checks. Please make checks payable to the Town of North Attleboro.

Registration can be dropped off after-hours through the drop slot in the front double doors at the office.

While many of our programs are only available to residents of North Attleboro, some of our programs are offered to all area residents. Residency requirements are noted on program flyers and registration forms.

Please contact the Park and Recreation Office at 508-699-0145 if you have questions about a specific program.

Those interested in investing in an Opportunity Zone must invest their funds through “Opportunity Funds,” which are currently being formed to permit investment in projects located in Opportunity Zones. Individuals may also form, fund, and manage an Opportunity Fund using the Department of Treasury's “self-certification” process. If you are interested in taking advantage of the Opportunity Zone program, we highly recommend consulting your tax advisor.

• Temporary tax deferral of eligible gain: Investors may defer capital gains on income reinvested into Opportunity Funds. The deferred gain must be recognized when the investor exits the fund or on December 31, 2026.
• Step-Up in basis. If the investor remains within an Opportunity Fund for at least five years, their tax liabilities related to the original capital gains are reduced by 10 percent. If the investment is held in an Opportunity Fund for seven years, this increases by an additional 5 percent, meaning that investors can reduce capital gains liability by 15 percent total.
• Permanent exclusion of fund gains. If an investor keeps the investment in an Opportunity Fund for ten years, any gains from the Opportunity Fund are exempt from taxation.

The Treasury Department permitted the governor of each state to nominate 25 percent of his or her state’s low-income census tracts as an Opportunity Zone. The Treasury Department certified Governor Baker’s nominations and designated 138 Opportunity Zone tracts in Massachusetts, two of which are in North Attleborough.

The policy allows for investment in operating businesses, equipment, and real property. Federal Treasury regulations provide additional detail about qualifying investments, however, generally:

• Opportunity Funds may generally hold an interest in real estate located in Opportunity Zones (either directly or through business entities) and develop real estate properties.
• Opportunity Funds may generally invest in for-profit entities located in Opportunity Zones (for example, start-up technology companies in business accelerators or incubators).
• Investments must meet certain “substantial improvement” requirements the details of which are set forth in the Federal Treasury Regulations.

Opportunity Zones are bipartisan provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. An Opportunity Zone is a designated geographic area in which individuals can gain favorable tax treatment on their capital gains. The goal of the Opportunity Zones provision is to incentivize investors to redeploy and invest capital into low-income communities.

Request Military Service Records

Each of the military services maintains a discharge review board with authority to change, correct or modify a discharge or dismissal that is not issued by a sentence of a general court-martial. The board has no authority to address medical discharges. The Veteran or his surviving spouse, next of kin, or legal representative may apply for a review of discharge by writing to the military department concerned, using Department of Defense Forms DD293 and DD149. You can obtain these forms from your local Veterans Services Office, VA regional office (call 800-827-1000, or from any Veterans Service Organization (VFW, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, etc.).

The Veterans Identification Card Act 2015 (Public Law 114-31) was enacted on July 20, 2015. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is drafting regulations that will allow VA to implement and enforce the legislation. However, this is a lengthy process that requires time for a public comment period as well as approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The rule making process is expected to take 12 months or more. VA is also in the process of developing procedures and policies to implement the VA ID card program. VA currently estimates the program will be implemented in 2017.

In the meanwhile, the Department of Veterans Affairs continue to provide a Veterans Identification Card (VIC) for veterans to use at VA medical facilities. The VIC will be issued only to veterans who are eligible for VA medical benefits and only for the purpose of identification and check-in for VA medical appointments. The new card protects personal privacy by not showing Social Security Numbers or dates of birth on the front of the cards.

VA has Service Connected, POW and Purple Heart (PH) indicators on the new VIC. Veterans who have been awarded service-connected status after their VIC has been issued or SC status is not properly documented on their card, will need to present their letter showing their SC rating to the eligibility clerk at the local VA Medical Center where they obtain treatment. After verification, the eligibility clerk will submit a request to National Card Management Directory (NCMD) System for a new card to be issued to the veteran.

Once a veteran has his/her picture taken for the new card at the VA medical facility, the card will be mailed to the veteran at the address that has been provided. To ensure that a veteran receives the new VIC card, the veteran should please verify that VA has the correct address on file. If the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the card, it will be returned to the facility at which the card was requested. The card will then be held in a secure location at the facility for 90 days. If the card is not picked up within the 90-day period, the card will be destroyed.

With regard to the use of veteran ID cards for store discounts, please note: The VA identification card, once available will allow Veterans to demonstrate proof of service for discounts at private restaurants and businesses.

It should be noted that the identification card is different from a Veteran Health Identification card or a DoD Uniformed Services or retiree ID card. As such, the VA identification cards cannot be used as proof of eligibility to any federal benefits and does not grant access to military installations.

When available, Veterans will be able to request an ID card from VA for a fee. VA is currently making plans to implement the new law in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible while protecting Veterans' personal information. We estimate that VA will be able to implement the program in 2017. The cost of each card has not yet been determined.

In the meantime, Veterans who would like an identification card that displays their military service do not have to wait until VA implements the new law. You have several options:

You can access and print a free Veterans identification card through the joint VA/DoD web portal, eBenefits. This paper identification card serves as proof of honorable service in the Uniformed Services, as defined in laws about the Department of Defense (DoD). Veterans can get a free eBenefits account.

Your driver's license or state identification card can carry a Veteran designation. This option is currently available in 49 states, along with Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. We expect the 50th state, Washington, to offer this service in August 2017. Veterans wanting more information should contact their state department of motor vehicles or state department of Veterans affairs.

Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care can obtain a free Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC).

Veterans who have retired from military service can receive an identification card from DoD. For information on obtaining or renewing such a card, please contact your nearest DoD identification card facility. 

Information about the services that the Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program provides to veterans with service-connected disabilities can be found at Veteran Readiness and Employment site. 

The website provides information about vocational counseling available to active duty service members and veterans who have recently separated from active duty. You will also find information about vocational counseling and special rehabilitation services available to dependents of veterans who meet certain program eligibility requirements.

Did you know that Military Retirees must update their DEERS record and Retired Identification Card when becoming eligible for Medicare, normally at age 65? Once updated, your new Identification Card will never expire.

Additionally, the new Identification Cards no longer display your Social Security Number. There is a new DoD ID Number on the front and a DoD Benefits number printed on the back. If your Retiree Identification Card currently displays your Social Security Number, you may get a new one anytime.

To find the nearest ID Card Office and to schedule an appointment, go to the ID Card Office Online site.

Remember to bring 2 forms of government-issued identification.

The Veterans Benefits Administration has created a "survivors" website for spouses and dependents of military personnel who died on active duty and for the survivors and dependents of veterans who died after leaving the military. The website is organized into two broad categories - death in service and death after service. It provides website visitors with information about a wide range of benefits for the surviving spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents of deceased veterans and active-duty personnel. The site also has information from and provides links to other federal agencies and organizations that offer benefits and services to survivors and dependents. Visit the Veterans Benefits Administration site to learn about your benefits.

BAGS & BAG TAGS

• Recycling Center/Transfer Station
  • Solid Waste Department, 777 Mt. Hope S
• Shaw’s Supermarket
  • 125 Robert Toner Blvd. (Triboro Plaza)
• Super Stop & Shop
  • 206 East Washington St. (N. Attleboro)
  • 251 Washington St. (So. Attleboro)

BAGS ONLY

• Bob’s Market
  • 42 Arnold Road
• CVS Pharmacy #938
  • 8 East Washington Street
• Market Basket# 76
  • 1200 Newport Avenue (So. Attleboro)
• Super Stop & Shop
  • 109 Taunton Street (Plainville)
  • 469 Pleasant Street (Attleboro)

Please call The Solid Waste Department at 508-699-0105 to schedule a repair or replacement.

View the North Attleborough Zoning Bylaws.

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about opening a new business in a new building, opening a new business within an existing building, renovating an existing space or constructing a new commercial building in the Town of North Attleborough.

• Email the Building Department at wmcgrady@nattleboro.com  and mdirenzo@nattleboro.com to see if the proposed location is zoned appropriately for your type of business. 
• If your business is within a newly created commercial space, within an existing commercial building, you will need to apply for a Certificate of Occupancy, BEFORE you are allowed to occupy that space. You may also need to apply to the Planning Board for Site Plan approval – Please call the Planning Department at 508-699-0116 to check.
• If your business is within an existing commercial space and you’re just a new tenant to that space, you will need to apply for a Certificate of Inspection BEFORE you are allowed to occupy that space, even if you make no renovations to the property.  You may also need to apply to the Planning Board for Site Plan approval – Please call the Planning Department at 508-699-0116 to check.
• If you make a major renovation to your commercial property (Building Commissioner will determine if it is a major renovation) you will be required to apply for a Certificate of Occupancy, BEFORE you are allowed to occupy that space.  You may also need to apply to the Planning Board for Site Plan approval – Please call the Planning Department at 508-699-0116 to check.
• If you plan to construct a new building or plan to build an addition to your commercial property, please call the Planning Department and request a pre-application meeting with the Town Departments.  This will allow you to have access to all the applicable departments so you can be advised in advance what will be involved in the permitting of your potential project.  Their thoughts and suggestions in advance of you generating full construction plans, can save you thousands of dollars in redesign costs.  We highly recommend this meeting.

An amount equal to 7.5% of your wages is contributed on a pre-tax basis (for income tax purposes) to a Plan account in your name. You will not have to pay Social Security taxes on your wages while you are eligible for and participating in the Plan.

Your employer establishes your Plan account for you. Once your account is created, you should log on to your account at www.bencorplans.com to:

1. Select your statement delivery preference (electronic/paper) under Statements/Forms;
2. Designate the person(s) who should receive the funds in your account in the event of your death by using the Beneficiaries link under the gear icon
3. Make an investment election under Investments.

The Plan offers different investment options in which you may choose to invest amounts contributed to your account. The options are listed and described on the website. If you do not choose investment options, your account will be invested automatically in your Plan’s default option, which may or may not be the best option for your circumstances. Therefore, it is important for you to log on to your account at www.bencorplans.com as soon as possible to obtain information about all the available investments and choose the options that are appropriate for your own objectives and preferences.

Your account is always 100% vested and belongs only to you. The balance of your account will be available after your termination of employment, retirement or total disability. In the case of your death, the beneficiary or beneficiaries you name under the Plan will be able to withdraw your account balance. Funds may be withdrawn as a lump sum cash distribution, which is taxable for the year of withdrawal, or as a direct rollover to an IRA or other eligible retirement plan, which defers your income tax obligation. To request a withdrawal, log on to your account at www.bencorplans.com and submit your request electronically. Additional information about income taxes and rollovers is provided online.

Your account is subject to the IRS Required Minimum Distribution rules after you reach age 72 or retire, whichever is later, or following your death, if earlier.

Annual statements showing your account activity, including beginning balance, contributions made, investment results and ending balance, are provided to you after the close of each calendar year. You may generate a statement on demand at any time by logging in to your account.

The only fee charged to your account is a monthly administrative fee. Currently, the administrative fee is $1.17 per month.

To log on to your account for Plan and account information, go to www.bencorplans.com. After creating your account and logging on, select Support from the menu to chat with a BENCOR Customer Service Representative, or dial a BENCOR Customer Service Representative at 866-296-9712. Representatives are available Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time

October 24, 2023 from 12 noon to 8:00 pm at North Attleboro High School.

The cost of the project will be $285,992,692. Tri-County will bill each of the member communities for the cost of the project. The annual project costs for your community are based on the number of students enrolled in Tri-County. Enrollment numbers are divided by the annual costs of the project loan and given to each community. The cost of the project is in addition to the annual tuition each community pays for its students that are enrolled in Tri-County. Currently, North Attleboro has 245 students enrolled in Tri-County and pays approximately $3.6 million a year in tuition costs.  North Attleboro’s share of this project is based on 245 students and comes to approximately $3,000,000 annually.  If the number of students increases the Town’s share of the project increases and we will pay more.  If the number of students decreases, the Town pays less for the project.  The annual pay will change year to year based on the enrolled population. The total estimated cost for tuition and the building project is $6.6 million a year. 

Between $83 million and $100 million dollars.

Not included on this ballot is how North Attleboro will pay for the school building project. The Town must pay for the project with the existing budget or decide to place a debt exclusion vote on the ballot in an election in the future.  No decision has been made yet on which path the Town will pursue.  Each town will decide how to best cover their portion of the project cost. North Attleboro will not borrow funds to pay for its project share.

11 towns

• Franklin
• Medway
• Medfield
• Millis
• Norfolk
• North Attleboro
• Plainville
• Seekonk
• Sherborn
• Walpole
• Wrentham

If the vote on October 24 passes by a collective majority vote, then the project will move forward. The vote is a regional vote- not town-by-town. 

245 students grade 9-12

If the number of students enrolled at Tri-County increases, the cost of the project billed to the Town increases.  If the number of students enrolled at Tri-County decreases, the cost of the project decreases for the Town.  The costs of the school building project and the tuition are separate.  If the vote passes North Attleboro can expect to pay, based on current enrollment, approximately $3.6 million in tuition and an additional $3 million in school constructions costs annually for the next 30 years.

The state made the decision to regionalize vocational high schools 50 years ago so that the towns could share the cost of running these expensive training facilities. If North decided to build a vocational school rather than a comprehensive high school, they would pay 100% of the cost rather than spread it among 11 communities. 

The new project will include a new Tri-County Vocational Technical High School complex for the students in the 11 Tri-County communities.

G.L. c. 40B, §§ 20-23 – known as Chapter 40B or the Comprehensive Permit Law – is a state law that was enacted in 1969 to facilitate construction of low- or moderate-income housing. It establishes a consolidated local review and approval process (known as a “comprehensive permit”) that empowers the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) in each city and town to review housing projects that meet certain affordable housing requirements and densities. 

Under this statute, the local Zoning Boards of Appeals can approve affordable housing developments where 20-25% of the units have long-term affordability restrictions. The remaining housing units in these developments are market rate.

Additionally, the statute mandates that 10% of the Town’s entire housing stock must be “affordable” as designated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Subsidized Housing Inventory, managed by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Community (EOHLC), is used to measure a community's affordable housing stock. 

Affordable housing refers to units that are on the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) list and are certified by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. Affordable housing are units that fall into certain income ranges set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). While housing developed under Chapter 40B is eligible for inclusion on the inventory, many other types of housing also qualify to count toward a community's affordable housing stock as well.

Community members should note that affordable housing does not equate to Section 8 housing as Section 8 refers to the federal program.

The SHI list and the Town’s housing stock is updated at every census which may cause the Town’s affordable housing stock to decrease/increase as more housing units are added.

What is the State’s maximum allowable rent at a 40B development?

Studio        1BR        2BR        3BR

80% AMI    80% AMI    80% AMI    80% AMI

$1,433        $1,536        $1,843        $2,130

60% AMI    60% AMI    60% AMI    60% AMI

$1,075        $1,152        $1,383        $1,597

More information can be found from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership's Rent Limits 2023 (PDF)

According to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, the Town of North Attleboro’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) was at 2.9% as of June 2023. To date, there are only 363 SHI units in town.

A 40B applicant must first receive a letter of project eligibility from one of four subsidizing agencies: MassHousing, MassDevelopment, the Department of Housing and Community Development, or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. If a project eligibility letter is received, the applicant can apply to the Zoning Board of Appeals for comprehensive permit review. The Zoning Board of Appeals will then review and vote on the proposed project to decide if it is approved or not. 

If a community is below 10% SHI, a developer can apply for a Chapter 40B permit called a comprehensive permit for a housing development at any site in Town. A comprehensive permit is allowed to override local zoning bylaws. 

Once the Town of North Attleboro has reached the 10% threshold in Subsidized Housing Inventory, the local Zoning Board of Appeals will have more discretion to approve or deny a comprehensive permit application, or Chapter 40B project. The Town can also choose to pursue more affordable housing to go beyond 10%. 

The North Attleboro Zoning Board of Appeals is considering a proposed affordable housing project planned for Draper Avenue by Lobisser Companies. This proposed development would feature a 40-unit, four story apartment building at 150 Draper Ave. Of the proposed project’s units, 25% would be affordable (10 units). The remaining housing units will be rented at market rate. The proposed unit mix is 4- Studio/1BA Units (1 Affordable); 20-1BR/1BA Units (5 Affordable); 12-2BR/2BA Units (3 Affordable) and 4-3BR/2BA Units (1 Affordable).

Mitigation is an action to reduce the loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. Mitigation can keep natural hazards, like flooding and hurricanes, from having catastrophic impacts.

An evaluation undertaken by experienced, professional engineers to determine the cause of flooding in a specific area and to propose solutions to minimize or correct the flooding issues.

While nothing can absolutely prevent flooding, the study will identify the cause of flooding in different areas in the defined study area and make recommendations for projects that will reduce the flood risk.

A watershed is a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean.

Flooding does not respect political boundaries. Therefore, flood impacts are better understood when looked at the watershed scale rather than at the property, neighborhood scale, or even municipal scale.

A floodplain is an area of land where water collects, pools and flows during the course of natural events. Some such areas are classified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), also referred to as aa 100-year flood zone. While a floodplain is a natural feature, the SFHA is a regulatory area  where the National Flood Insurance Program's floodplain management regulations must be enforced and where the mandatory purchase of flood insurance applies for federally backed bank mortgages.

The NFIP is a Federal program created by Congress to mitigate future flood losses nationwide through community-enforced building and zoning regulations and to provide access to federally backed flood insurance protection for property owners. The NFIP is designed to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance to meet the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods. 

Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement between local communities and the Federal Government that states that if a community will adopt and enforce a floodplain management regulation to reduce future flood risks to new construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), the Federal Government will make flood insurance available within the community as a financial protection against flood losses. 

Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or FIRMs, are used to determine the flood risk to your home or business. The low and moderate-risk zones are represented on the maps by the letter "X" or an "X" that is shaded. The inland high-risk zones will be labeled with designations such as "A", "AE", "AO" or "AH", and coastal high-risk zones that have additional risk from storm surge will be labeled "V" or "VE". 

Visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center webpage. Enter your address and you will be able to view the flood map panel for your location, revisions to the map, amendments to the flood map and any revalidation of maps.