Zoning Board Splits 3-2 Over Day Spa Bid

Zoning Board of Appeals · Meeting of September 28, 2026

DANVERS — The Danvers Zoning Board of Appeals split 3-2 to allow a Bridge Street convenience store to become a Reiki and reflexology day spa. Chair Corinne Doherty and member Kevin Berich voted no, with Berich warning such businesses are "incredibly open to abuse of the services that they offer," including concerns about unlicensed practitioners. Members Kenneth Jarvinen, Kenneth Scholes and Clerk Chris Dembowski voted yes, saying the use was no more detrimental than the prior retail store.

Separately, the board unanimously granted attorney Nancy McCann's request on behalf of JAM Capital LLC to let a vacant 1960 office building at 32 Prince Street revert to single-family housing, citing new Chapter 40A housing-production language. The board also unanimously approved variances for a shed at 9 Lawrence Street and a front porch at 6 Hardy Street, and withdrew two continued cases without prejudice.

In the full story:

• Minutes and Withdrawn Cases
• 9 Lawrence Street: A Shed Measured Twice
• A Procedural Question: Applying New Chapter 40A Standards
• 32 Prince Street: Converting Vacant Office Space Back to Housing
• 6 Hardy Street: A Front Porch and an AI Rendering
• 9 Bridge Street: A Day Spa Divides the Board
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,520 words

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

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.