Zoning committee postpones review of Cabotville Mill redevelopment after title, tax and review questions

Bridgewater Capital Partners presented plans on April 30 to convert the former Cabotville Mill complex (165 Front Street and nearby parcels) into a multi‑phase residential development of up to 600 apartments under the mill conversion and Commercial Center Overlay District.

The applicant described an adaptive‑reuse plan for multiple mill buildings, an off‑site remote parking lot to supplement on‑site stalls, landscape and stormwater improvements and a licensing agreement with the city to cross municipal property in order to access Front Street. The developer said the project could deliver new tax revenue and estimated a net fiscal surplus for the city under conservative assumptions.

Committee members and the applicant, however, discussed several unresolved prerequisites before a final special permit could be recommended. The City Collector and planning staff reported substantial unpaid municipal taxes and utility arrears on the property; council members emphasized the city ordinance that ordinarily prohibits issuing a special permit until taxes or an approved payment agreement are in place. The applicant said they expect taxes to be paid at closing from title/escrow proceeds and that title issues (including rail‑corridor ownership and insurance coverage) are being negotiated with the current owner.

Planner and engineering review comments from the city's Overlay District Review Committee (ODRC) and the Site Plan Review Advisory Committee (SPRAC) also remain outstanding, and planning staff advised the committee that definitive site plan review must be complete before building permits will issue. Multiple councilors said they could not recommend approval until payment arrangements or clear title is resolved; one councilor described pressure from the mayor earlier that evening to move on the matter but said the ordinance limits the committee's options.

After public comment in favor of redevelopment and urgency to stabilize the mill, the committee voted to postpone the item to the May 28 zoning meeting to give the applicant time to produce a payment agreement or other documentation and to address departmental review comments. The committee asked the applicant to send a written continuance request to the council office and to coordinate with the treasurer, collector and planning staff before the next meeting.

Formal action: motion to postpone consideration to May 28, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.; motion passed (Councilors Balakir, Shumsky, Wagner).