Committee keeps Mack Park discontinuance in committee pending resident rehousing and zoning review

The Peabody Legal Affairs Committee voted 5-0 Aug. 19 to leave the Rent Control Board's application to discontinue the permit for Mack Park Trailer Park in committee while remaining residents are rehoused and city staff provides more information on zoning and development potential. Councilor Chico moved the measure; the committee recorded a unanimous roll-call vote.

The action follows Rent Control Board Chairman Ted Neary's explanation that the board denied the discontinuance in November 2022 because "there was no plan to put the current residents somewhere" and that under state law "you can't discontinue a park if there are still residents on board." Neary identified himself for the record as chairman of the Peabody Rent Control Board.

Committee members said their priority is avoiding displacing remaining occupants before a redevelopment plan is clear. "I would like to keep it in committee, until, a, those residents find suitable housing, and, b, we have a little bit of time to, look at the proposed residential development," Councilor Turco said. Councilor Gamache said the owner has been working with tenants and reported that roughly four owner-occupied units remain and others are pursuing relocation options.

The committee sought clarification about how the city's 2018 residential overlay district would interact with existing mobile-home zoning. "That area falls under the Overlay District ... the proposal that they had back in 2022 was for 58 units or 56 units that would be allowable by right under the overlay district," Councilor Gamache said. Community Development Director Kirk Bellavance told the committee the developer previously proposed two buildings of about 36 units each ("about 72 units") and that "that density didn't meet the overlay" as then configured. Bellavance said he does not believe decommissioning the mobile-home park would, by itself, change the zoning designation: "I don't believe that if the mobile home was decommissioned, that that would change the zoning."

The committee directed Community Development to prepare a summary of what currently exists on the parcel and what densities, heights and egress options might be permitted under the overlay district if the developer returns with a proposal. The motion to keep the discontinuance in committee and request that Community Development provide density and egress information passed on a roll-call vote: Councilors Turco, Peach, Higgins, Melville and Rosignal all voting yes.

Background: the Rent Control Board previously refused the owner's request because the owner had no relocation plan for existing residents. Committee members repeatedly noted the homes are old, that the park has had health-department complaints and that the owner has told councilors she is assisting tenants with relocation and has engaged outside offices to help.

Next steps: Community Development will be asked to contact the applicant and provide the council a written summary of allowable density, any necessary zoning changes, and whether an adjacent Pine Street lot could be included in a project.