Pepperell Planning Board Continues Zoning Table Review, Flags Outdated Use Categories

PEPPERELL -- July 7, 2025, Pepperell Planning Board resumes zoning table overhaul with debate over clubs, storage, and outdated use categories. The board, meeting July 7, spent most of the session continuing its item-by-item review of the town's table of principal uses, carried over from June 2, with no formal zoning votes taken. Members informally agreed to shift nonprofit clubs and lodges in industrial zones from no to yes, establish a dual-approval framework under which the Select Board would handle business licensing and the Planning Board site plan review for certain uses, and direct Town Planner Jason to break apart an overly broad personal service establishment definition that currently groups hair salons, dry cleaners, and photography studios into one category. Sandy Hyatt dissented from prior-meeting decisions, saying uses like vehicle sales and light vehicle service should not be permitted in residential zones: "I do not think you, David, or Sean, or Amanda would appreciate having those right next to you." The board also heard a two-year special-permit update from FITS Collaborative representative Craig Hanson, who reported the former Fitzpatrick School now has 13 to 15 of roughly 40 rooms under lease, with the commercial kitchen still needing approximately $75,000 to open. The next meeting is July 21, 2025.