Peabody council postpones zoning change

PEABODY – In a joint meeting with the City Council Thursday night, the Peabody Planning Board unanimously voted against a zoning change that would increase lot sizes in some areas near Brooksby Farm.The proposal came before the Planning Board at the request of homeowners Ray and Helen Albert of 10 Page St. The couple suggested the change in effort to regain their neighborhood?s original zoning R-1A designation with a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet. It currently stands at 10,000 square feet after a zone change made years ago.The Alberts feared that the smaller lot size would allow developers to construct more homes in less space, causing congestion in the neighborhood.After a presentation by Senior Planner Blair Haney, the Planning Board decided that a zoning change would in fact have very little impact on the 237 parcels of land along Baldwin, Felton, Lowell, and Prospect streets.Haney told the Board that of those parcels, only 11 could be subdivided if they took no action and left things as they were. If the Board voted in favor of rezoning, nine parcels of land could still be subdivided, leaving only two parcels protected from being divided.?It?s not compelling enough to vote on the proposed change,” said Curt Bellevance of the Planning Board. “The changes are very, very minimal.”Fellow member Joseph Gagnon was also against the change.?It would take up a lot of the city?s time and energy,” he said, noting that the majority of proposed lot changes would have to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals regardless of passing the amendment.After hearing the Board?s recommendation, Councilor Dave Gamache made a motion to postpone the issue until their meeting on Sept. 11, after having it reviewed by the city solicitor for a legal opinion on structural changes.