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Planning Board Overhauls Draft Sign Bylaw

Planning Board · Meeting of September 28, 2026

Manchester-by-the-Sea Planning Board rewrites sign bylaw ahead of Fall Town Meeting. Chaired by Sarah Creighton, the board first voted unanimously to endorse a routine land-line swap between 19 University Lane and 16 Overledge Road, then spent most of the Sept. 28 meeting reworking sign-size limits district by district. Director of Land Management Marc Resnick's draft would require a town permit for new signs, add a grandfathering clause, and replace the special-permit process with planning-board waivers.

Members capped General District wall signs at 30 square feet, kept Town Center at 20, set Harbor's Edge at 30 and trimmed the Limited Commercial District from 100 to 50. "The problem we're trying to fix right now is the omission of Town Center and Harbor's Edge in the sign bylaw," Creighton said. The board agreed to send the revised draft to the Select Board before deciding whether it belongs in the zoning or general bylaws.

In the full story:

  • Who Was There
  • Organizations And Documents Referenced
  • The complete report — 2,666 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of September 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

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