It is a shame to hear a story about someone who bought a home with plans for putting in a daycare center or an antique shop and, simply because they didn't find out about the zoning and permitting in a community, they lost out financially and emotionally. 
Zoning ordinance information is available from the local town or city hall for communities in Massachusetts.
Part of the "due diligence" performed by good buyer's agents is to check up on your neighborhood plans and local zoning for a property you are interested in purchasing. If you are not working with a buyer's agent, you may find it helpful to spend the time to look into these matters before you proceed with a purchase. If town planners want to change a quiet street into a major highway it would certainly have impact on property values. Zoning maps and neighborhood plans can be especially helpful to home buyers as they investigate their new home possibilities.
Sometimes a zoning ordinance will prevent a home buyer from improving a property without getting a "variance". Massachusetts law authorizes a variance to be granted if, due to circumstances related to the soil conditions, shape or topography of such land, literal enforcement of the zoning bylaws would involve a substantial hardship to the landowner. The process generally involves notifying abutting owners of what is being sought and giving them an opportunity to object.
The issue of permits has to do with what previous owners did when they made improvements. Most communities require permits for most improvements made to homes to get revenue for the town and to keep tabs on the housing for property assessments and taxes. Permits signed off by building inspectors, plumbing and electrical inspectors also gives the home buyer some assurance that the work was done in a professional and workmanlike manner. If a homeowner erects a deck or new garage that is in violation of the setback (distance from abutting property), it could be a problem for the home buyer. Better to be safe than sorry and do the homework.
