Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
City Commission upholds site plan for 15-row-house development at 700 New Hampshire Street
Summary
After public comment and an appeal, the Lawrence City Commission voted 5-0 to affirm the planning director's approval of site plan SP-25-0003 for 15 multi-dwelling row houses at 700 New Hampshire Street. Neighbors raised concerns about scale, massing and notification; the commission's review was limited to whether the plan meets the city code.
The Lawrence City Commission on Sept. 2 affirmed the planning director's administrative approval of site plan SP-25-0003, a proposal for 15 row houses at 700 New Hampshire Street, voting 5-0 to approve the plan.
The commission's action came after staff described the application as an administrative, ministerial site-plan review under the land development code and after attorneys and planners warned the body to limit its review to the code criteria. "This is a quasi-judicial hearing," Deputy City Attorney Randy Larkin told commissioners. "Your review of the decision by the director of planning is de novo. You step into the shoes of the planning director."
Neighbors and preservation advocates urged the commission to deny the plan or to send it back for changes, calling the project too large and insufficiently compatible with the adjacent North Rhode Island Street historic district. Tony Peterson, a neighbor at 702‑724…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
