Planning Board puts Mills District on January agenda

SAUGUS – Planning Board Chairman Peter Rossetti announced at a meeting Thursday that the board would be discussing the Historic Mills Mixed Use Overlay District at its next meeting Jan. 16.Economic Development Coordinator Robert Luongo will present the material to the board, who will then make a decision whether to recommend at the next Town Meeting if the voters should approve amending the town bylaws to accommodate zoning for the Historic Mills Mixed Use Overlay District. According to the proposed amendment, the new language would designate a historic district so Saugus can protect its community resources while adding mixed residential and commercial uses, including affordable housing.The zoning article was up for a vote at the last Special Town Meeting on Nov. 18, but because the Planning Board had not made its recommendation, the article was postponed for the next Town Meeting.?We said, ?Certainly not.? We have to do it right,” said Vice Chairman Larry Shaver.Rossetti told the board to review the material before the presentation and be prepared with lots of questions. He told them to take into consideration the part of the plan that discusses the boundary of the Elm Street bridge, because the Board of Selectmen was looking at the possible reconstruction of the bridge.