Know the path before you take it
A desire path is the trail people wear into the grass when the official route doesn't quite get them where they're going. It's an honest record of how a place really works. That's how we approach permitting and planning: we start with how projects actually move through approvals in Massachusetts, not just how the process looks on paper.
Experience from inside the review process
Desire Path brings experience from inside municipal planning and development review, along with years of work on development projects and community engagement. We know how a review board reads an application, which questions are likely to come up at a hearing, and where neighbors' concerns tend to surface. That lets your team prepare for them before they cost you time.
What can you build here?
Every project starts with the bylaw, and most bylaws offer more flexibility than they show at first glance. We read the zoning for your lot the way a reviewer would. We look at what's allowed by right and what needs a special permit. We look at where dimensional relief or a nonconforming-structure finding might open a door. And we look at which state laws, like Chapter 40B or the ADU rules, change the picture.
You come away knowing what can be built, what it will take to get approved, and which path gets you there fastest.
Through permitting in the least time, at the lowest cost
Start with clarity.
An up-front zoning and permitting assessment shows your options before you spend money on design.
Map the route.
We lay out the approvals, the timeline, and the likely sticking points so nothing surprises your team mid-process.
Communicate early.
Where it helps your project, we plan neighbor outreach that keeps the process smooth and predictable.
Prepare the team.
Your architect, engineer, and attorney go into every submission and hearing working from the same strategy.
Know the cost up front.
Our work is priced at flat fees, so you know what you're paying before we begin.
Questions? We're here.
Permitting raises a lot of questions, and they rarely come at convenient times. Whether you're weighing a purchase, starting design, or partway through approvals, reach out. We'll give you a straight answer or point you to someone who can.