ZBA grants five‑year extension for Mackie Corporation excavation variance and special permit

The Gardner Zoning Board on June 17 voted unanimously to extend by five years the variance and special permit for excavation and related site work at property owned by Mackie Corporation (Glenn Mackey/representative Jim LeBlanc). The extension applies to the existing variance and special permit for earth removal and associated site work; the board recorded no objections.

Jim LeBlanc, president of Mackie Corporation, told the board his company purchased and cleared property adjacent to its operations to prepare for an industrial expansion but ran into substantial rock and unanticipated costs that slowed progress. He described heavy equipment needs and the decision to stage work over a longer period; he said erosion and stormwater controls have been maintained and no neighbor complaints or violations have been raised.

Why it matters: extending the permit preserves Mackie’s entitlement to continue the approved work while the company resolves equipment, staging and schedule issues. The board noted the project has proceeded in accordance with previously approved plans and that public complaints or code violations were not on file at the time of the hearing.

Motion and outcome: a board member moved to grant a five‑year extension of the variance and the special permit to allow continued earth‑removal and site development; a second was recorded and the motion passed unanimously.

Next steps: the applicant will continue to comply with any permit conditions and the extension will be recorded; if the applicant later returns with modifications, the board will require updated engineering or stormwater documentation as appropriate.