By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
SAUGUS — The Saugus Planning Board will discuss whether four properties near Route 1 should be rezoned at Thursday’s meeting.
The panel will make a recommendation on two proposed articles for Town Meeting, which resumes on Monday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Eagle Road residents are asking that their properties, currently zoned strictly for residential use, be rezoned for commercial use, said chairman Peter Rossetti. The proposal affects four properties on the road, which is located behind Barn Carwash and C & P Imports.
Rossetti said at least one of the four existing homes is vacant and has been for several years.
“A lot of people really don’t want to live that close to Route 1,” said Rossetti.
https://newitemlive.wpengine.com/news/young-and-old-in-concert-in-nahant/
The Planning Board will also discuss altering plans for a development on Winston Street. Eight years ago, the panel and Town Meeting approved a 10-unit condominium building to be built on the former Alco Food Products, Inc., site. Part of the agreement was for developers to include one affordable unit, Rossetti said.
But in almost a decade, the work has not been completed. Developers returned to the Planning Board earlier this year to request a change in the plan. Rather than constructing one 10-unit building, they want to build two duplexes and one triplex. None of the seven units would be lower priced.
Rossetti said the use wouldn’t qualify for the same zoning and Town Meeting members would need to take a vote. Prior to the May 22 meeting, the Planning Board needs to determine whether it will be considered a zoning article, which requires two-thirds of the vote, or whether it’s considered a modification of the original request eight years ago, which would require a majority vote.
The board’s recommendation will be given to the Finance Committee, which will make a recommendation before the start of the Town Meeting.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.