MARBLEHEAD — Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer presented a slate of Select Board-sponsored warrant articles for the 2026 Annual Town Meeting, previewing zoning changes tied to state housing law, several housekeeping amendments, and proposed updates to administrative employee benefits.
The Feb. 11 presentation offered board members and residents an early look at measures expected to go before voters this spring.
The centerpiece of the warrant is the adoption of a 3A Multifamily Overlay District, required under the state’s MBTA Communities Act. The law mandates that certain communities with access to public transit create zoning districts where multifamily housing is allowed by right.
The proposed overlay would include two subdistricts — one along Broughton Road and another encompassing part of the Tedesco area. A companion article would amend the town’s official zoning map to reflect the new district boundaries.
Community Development and Planning Director Brendan Callahan told the board the town has been working with state housing officials and a planning consultant to ensure the proposal meets statutory requirements. Adjustments were made to address state feedback, including modifications to parking standards and other regulatory details.
Planners also revised the overlay boundaries after determining that one property initially considered did not qualify due to frontage limitations. To maintain compliance with the state’s minimum unit capacity requirement, density was adjusted within the Tedesco subdistrict.
Callahan said the revised plan has received preliminary approval from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and is projected to meet or slightly exceed the state-mandated capacity threshold.
In addition to the zoning articles, the warrant includes three administrative or “housekeeping” measures.
One proposal would update bylaws related to the Department of Public Works to reflect current terminology and organizational structure. The amendments would replace outdated department names and update position titles to align with the town’s existing management model.
Another article would add a new chapter to the general bylaws prohibiting cryptocurrency automatic teller machines within town limits. The measure, requested by the police chief, Dennis King, is intended to address fraud concerns associated with unregulated digital currency transactions. If adopted, any existing machines would be required to be removed within a set period.
A third housekeeping article would dissolve the Public Works Committee, a body created before the town established a town administrator system and modernized its public works structure. Kezer said the committee’s existence creates complications under the state’s Open Meeting Law because department heads meeting in that capacity would be subject to public posting requirements, even when discussing routine operational matters.
The committee, which resurfaced during the charter review process, has met only sporadically in recent years, though the bylaw requires regular meetings.
The final Select Board-sponsored article would amend Chapter 43 of the bylaws to revise benefits for nonunion administrative employees.
The proposal would add three personal days and accelerate vacation accrual. Under the revised schedule, employees would reach higher vacation tiers earlier in their tenure, with a new top tier for those with 20 or more years of service.
The article would also increase longevity payments across all service levels. Officials said the changes are intended to modernize the town’s personnel policies and maintain competitiveness in recruiting and retaining employees. Union employees’ benefits are negotiated separately through collective bargaining agreements.
All articles are expected to come before voters at the 2026 Annual Town Meeting.
