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Planning board supports rezoning of Branch Street block to enable mixed‑use redevelopment
Summary
The Lowell Planning Board recommended rezoning a string of properties on Branch Street from traditional multifamily to traditional mixed‑use to allow commercial uses and a larger number of residential units for properties long vacant or deteriorating.
The Lowell Planning Board on July 21 voted to recommend that several parcels on Branch Street, including the vacant 129 Branch Street building, be rezoned from traditional multifamily to traditional mixed‑use so future redevelopment can include commercial ground‑floor uses and a larger number of residential units than currently allowed.
Staff said the current traditional multifamily zone restricts residential counts to six units and bars ground‑floor commercial uses in some cases, making rehabilitation of large, vacant buildings financially infeasible. Board members noted the block historically contained storefronts and that rezoning could help revitalize the streetscape while subjecting projects with more than three units to site plan review.
The board voted to forward a favorable recommendation to the City Council. No redevelopment plan was presented at the meeting; any future proposal would require site plan review and any necessary permits.
