Municipal Matters

Planning Board grapples with ADU rules in two contentious applications
15 Sep

Planning Board grapples with ADU rules in two contentious applications

Akanksha GoyalMunicipal Matters, real estate, Top Stories
Two accessory dwelling unit applications before the Planning Board Sept. 8 highlighted a question the board is still working through: how much discretion does it have over projects the state now requires communities to allow by right? Board members spent nearly three hours weighing concerns about building size, neighborhood character, emergency access and existing zoning restrictions against the state’s protections for qualifying ADUs. The Planning Board discussed two ADU applications at its Sept. 8 meeting. The board had invited Town Counsel Adam Costa to the…
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NEWS IN BRIEF: Household hazardous waste collection, town administrator job posted
14 Sep

NEWS IN BRIEF: Household hazardous waste collection, town administrator job posted

Leigh BlanderLocal News, Municipal Matters
The Current accepts News in Brief submissions of 150-200 words at info@marbleheadnews.org.  Household Hazardous Waste CollectionThe Marblehead Health Department has scheduled the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 4-7 p.m. at the Transfer Station.There’s a long list of items that may be disposed of that evening, including oil-based paint, anti-freeze, lighter fluid and furniture polish. For the full list, visit marbleheadma.gov/2026-october-household-hazardous-waste-day/. New police hireThe Select Board approved the hiring of Marblehead native and Marine veteran Luke Morris as a new police…
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Revised Broughton Road redevelopment plan calls for 50 new senior units
09 Sep

Revised Broughton Road redevelopment plan calls for 50 new senior units

Akanksha GoyalMunicipal Matters, Top Stories
The Marblehead Housing Authority and WinnDevelopment presented a revised plan Tuesday to redevelop Broughton Road, proposing 50 new age-restricted units while preserving all 62 existing family housing units. The revised concept, presented to the Planning Board on Sept. 8, follows months of feedback from residents, abutters, town officials and other stakeholders. The proposal calls for either renovating or demolishing and rebuilding the 62 existing units, along with construction of a three-story building containing 50 new senior units. The rear portion of the site would replace…
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New state variance rules give Marblehead ZBA more room to weigh housing
08 Sep

New state variance rules give Marblehead ZBA more room to weigh housing

Akanksha GoyalBeacon Hill, Business, Municipal Matters
For decades, Massachusetts property owners seeking zoning variances faced a high bar: They generally had to demonstrate that strict application of local zoning rules created a “substantial hardship” tied to particular characteristics of their property. That changed this summer. A new state law replaced the “substantial hardship” standard with a lower “practical difficulty” standard and gave zoning boards greater discretion in deciding whether to grant variances.  The law also requires boards to consider the benefits to the applicant and the public interest, including the interest…
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NEWS IN BRIEF: New town hires, schools return $800K, Green Communities vote coming
08 Sep

NEWS IN BRIEF: New town hires, schools return $800K, Green Communities vote coming

Leigh BlanderArt, Education, Environment, Local History, Local News, Municipal Matters, News in brief
The Current accepts News in Brief submissions of 150-200 words at info@marbleheadnews.org. Town hires treasurerThe town has hired a new treasurer, Shaun Strobel. Strobel has more than 20 years experience as a treasurer in various municipalities, including Worcester, Sharon and, most recently, Marshfield. For the last several years, Marblehead has combined the positions of treasurer and collector. Cami Iannarelli remains as collector. The collector is responsible for billing and collecting money owed to the town, including property taxes. The treasurer manages that money. School business managerOn Aug.…
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Housing only: Town posts RFP for Coffin School property
04 Sep

Housing only: Town posts RFP for Coffin School property

Leigh BlanderMunicipal Matters, Top Stories
The town has issued a request for proposals for the former Coffin School property, making clear that any redevelopment must be for housing. The RFP states: “The property shall be ground leased or sold solely for a housing use. Proposals that contemplate any use other than housing will not be considered. The selected respondent shall be required to use and develop the property in accordance with the permitted housing use and all applicable requirements, approvals, restrictions and conditions established by the town and applicable law.”…
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Town still working out how new ADU rules work — homeowners feeling uncertainty
01 Sep

Town still working out how new ADU rules work — homeowners feeling uncertainty

Akanksha GoyalMunicipal Matters, real estate, Top Stories
Massachusetts has spent the past two years making it easier for homeowners to build accessory dwelling units, but in Marblehead, figuring out how those rules apply to individual projects has proven more complicated. The town has received 12 ADU applications since 2024, according to Community Development and Planning Director Brendan Callahan. Three applications were submitted and approved in 2024, another three were approved in 2025, and four were approved through June 2026. Two remained pending as of June. Town officials are still trying to determine…
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Looking for answers to road and sidewalk projects
25 Aug

Looking for answers to road and sidewalk projects

Leigh BlanderMunicipal Matters, Public safety, Top Stories
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer says there is a “method to the madness” behind Marblehead’s much-criticized road and sidewalk work, while acknowledging that communicating that plan to residents has been a challenge. The condition and construction of the town’s roads and sidewalks have become a heated topic on social media and in letters to the editor, with residents questioning how projects are prioritized, how money is being spent and what work is planned next. People are also complaining about bumpy patchwork, saying it creates dangerous conditions…
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