Gardner council, planning board hear proposal to create historic-preservation special permit for 100 Central Street

A joint public hearing of the Gardner City Council and Planning Board on June 9, 2025 considered a zoning amendment to create a historic preservation special permit that would allow flexible uses and limited relief from dimensional and parking standards for qualifying historic properties, including 100 Central Street, the Henry Haywood House attached to the former Sacred Heart Elementary School.

Attorney Christine Tree, representing Chair City Church, told the council and planning board the amendment is intended to “encourage preservation of historic sites, and historic structures, through established criteria, and to help expand the economic options for property owners who wish to redevelop, preserve, or repair their property, and to relax any zoning standards that would obstruct that goal.”

Under the proposal described by Tree, the ordinance would (1) add a new section establishing the historic preservation special permit; (2) amend the table of uses and definitions to include “historic structure” and “historic site;” (3) make the special permit available in all zoning districts (but not industrial); and (4) amend Article 7 (off‑street parking, loading and drive‑through…