Gloucester ZBA Refers 29-Unit 40B Project to Solicitor for Draft Decision

Zoning Board · Meeting of March 12, 2026

Gloucester's Zoning Board of Appeals advanced a 29-unit affordable housing project toward final approval at its March 12 meeting. The board voted 5-0 to refer the Harborlight Community Partners application for a Chapter 40B comprehensive permit at 256 Main Street to the city solicitor for a draft decision, with the public hearing continued to April 9. Engineer Paul Campbell of Chess Engineering told the board the revised site design — needed after shallow bedrock was found on-site — had resolved nearly all peer-review comments, with one stormwater waiver question remaining.

City Solicitor Suzanne advised keeping the hearing open so the applicant can respond to any issues in the draft. In a separate 5-0 vote, the board granted special permit relief to homeowner Abigail Stroven at 9 Marion Way for a second-floor bathroom addition and rebuilt front entry on a non-conforming lot. The board also began reviewing draft comprehensive permit regulations drawn from Brookline's rules, identifying gaps in amendment procedures and a need for a local permitting-board notification list, continuing that discussion to April 9 as well.

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Source: the Zoning Board meeting of March 12, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.