Pepperell Planning Board Continues Hearing on 10-Unit Annual Housing Cap to June

PEPPERELL — May 22, 2023 — Pepperell Planning Board opens public hearing on citizen petition to cap new home construction at 10 units per year. Residents Cheryl Rozoff and Renee D'Argento presented a proposed rate of development bylaw that would limit all residential building permits to 10 dwelling units annually — down from the 40-unit cap of a prior bylaw that expired in 2004 — with no more than two permits issued to any single applicant per year; affordable housing would be exempted. DPW Business Manager Paul Brinkman questioned the petitioners' core data chart, saying he was unable to recreate their Department of Revenue tax trend figures. A Finance Committee member speaking remotely called the bylaw "inconsistent," arguing it fails to address the fiscal impact of multi-family development. Resident John Leather of 16 John Street argued most of the cited cost pressures — school budget increases, climate change, PFAS — "are going to be with us" regardless of how many homes are built. The board voted unanimously to continue the public hearing to June 5, 2023, where it joins two other continued development cases and a planning rules review on what members acknowledged will be a "packed" agenda.