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Votes at a glance: Beverly council honors Historic Beverly director, adopts energy code, and updates downtown parking
Summary
At its April 7 meeting the Beverly City Council approved a retirement resolution for the director of Historic Beverly, adopted the Massachusetts specialized energy code into municipal ordinances (5–3), and updated downtown parking rules (8–0).
The Beverly City Council acted on several measures at its April 7, 2025 meeting, including a ceremonial resolution honoring the retiring director of Historic Beverly, adoption of a state specialized energy code for municipal incorporation, and a downtown parking amendment. Below are the formal outcomes recorded on the meeting record.
All votes and actions recorded in the council minutes were taken on April 7 during the regular meeting. The council approved a resolution honoring Sue Goganian, executive director of Historic Beverly, by voice vote; the resolution recognized nearly 17 years of leadership and more than $2,500,000 invested in historic properties during her tenure.
On a divided vote, the council gave final passage to the adoption of the Massachusetts Specialized Energy Code into the city ordinances (order 30B). That measure passed 5–3. The adoption incorporates the specialized energy code by reference and specifies the ordinance would take effect six months after final passage, per the order's language and public notice schedule.
The council also approved an amendment to Chapter 270 (Vehicles and Traffic) updating on-street parking regulations in the Downtown Beverly Parking District (order 77) by unanimous vote, 8–0. The order modifies on-street regulation language for defined blocks of Pleasant Street.
Other formal actions on the record included approval of three sets of minutes and multiple grant and license items. The Committee on Finance and Property reported and the council acted to set public hearings and accept grants: a budget transfer public hearing for a $285,000 fire-department transfer was set for April 22 at 7:30 p.m.; a Community Preservation Act funding hearing was set for April 22 at 7:45 p.m.; and the council accepted grants including an $8,500 retail food safety grant and an IT grant of $91,178 to purchase servers and GIS equipment. Many of these committee recommendations were approved unanimously by the full council as recorded in the minutes.
Votes and formal actions (summary): - Resolution honoring Sue Goganian, Historic Beverly — approved (voice); tally recorded as 8–0. - Order 30B, adoption of Massachusetts Specialized Energy Code — final passage approved 5–3. - Order 77, amendment to Chapter 270 (Downtown parking) — approved 8–0. - Approval of minutes (three sets) — approved 8–0. - Order 108, set public hearing for $285,000 fire-department budget transfer — approved to set hearing 8–0. - Order 109, acceptance of $8,500 NEHA/FDA grant for Health Department — approved 8–0. - Order 110, acceptance of $91,178 Community Compact IT grant — approved 8–0. - Order 118, set public hearing for 12th-round CPA recommendations (April 22, 7:45 p.m.) — approved 8–0.
Where recorded, vote tallies above match the council minutes as read into the record. Individual roll-call names were not provided for each vote in the portions of the transcript that recorded outcomes; when tallies were read they were recorded as totals (for example, "that carries 8–0" or "passes 5 to 3").
The council also received committee recommendations including the request to convene a special committee on rental policies (approved, to be convened by the council president) and discussed the Varian site public meeting and subsequent public-comment process (no council-level comment filed before the April 16 meeting).
