The Marion Planning Board met Monday night in the police station conference room and remotely via Microsoft Teams. The meeting included various action items and a continued public hearing.
Chair Sean Sweeney began with action items and, after approving the minutes from the August 17 meeting, moved to approve payments. These payments included $1,238 from Toll Brothers, Inc., for a Field Engineering Peer Review at 78 Wareham Road; $12,445.76 from Uncle Jon’s for a Peer Review from Howard Stein Hudson for 413 Wareham Street; and $3,502 from Sippican Holdings, LLC for a Peer Review from Merrill Corporation for 14 Barnabas Road.
The board then moved on to the continued public hearing for a Site Plan Application by Paul Downey of Sippican Holdings, LLC for 14 Barnabas Road. However, the applicant was not present, so the board continued the hearing until the next meeting.
The board then spent time discussing its FY2026 budget review, which is ongoing. They will continue holding in-person meetings at the police station with a remote-join option through Microsoft Teams, with the long-term goal of meeting in the Town House once they determine how to ensure participants can join remotely.
The board members also discussed Question 7 on the upcoming Massachusetts state election ballot: “Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative.”
According to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website, the proposed law would allow single-family homes to be built in residentially zoned areas if the lot is at least 5,000 square feet, has at least 50 feet of land bordering the street, road, or public way that it faces, and has access to public sewer and water services. Currently, local zoning bylaws and ordinances generally establish minimum lot size requirements for single-family homes, subject to state law.
Some board members questioned which lots the law would affect. Member Andrew Daniel said voters need to “do their homework.”
More information and the official wording of the question can be found at www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/research-and-statistics/2026-ballot-questions.htm.
The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board will be held on Monday, October 5, at 7:00 pm in the Marion Police Department, 550 Mill Street.
Marion Planning Board
By Sam Bishop