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 standards) to allow parking relief and related site design flexibility. Tree said relief could include multiple primary uses on one lot or structure in residential or commercial districts, dimensional relief (lot size, frontage, setbacks), and changes to parking and signage requirements so long as the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) grants the special permit with conditions.

Tree described the review process the ordinance would establish: applicants would file with the ZBA, which would refer the application to the Historical Commission for a recommendation. The Historical Commission would have 60 days to respond; if it does not, the ZBA may proceed without the recommendation. If the ZBA grants a permit, the decision and its conditions must be recorded at the registry of deeds, Tree said.

Tree said a qualifying historic structure would generally be one listed on the National Register, on MACRIS (the Massachusetts Historical Commission inventory), or on a local Gardner historic inventory created by the Historical Commission. She said Gardner’s MACRIS inventory contains roughly 244 entries and that, after eliminating properties already demolished or unlikely to be redeveloped, she estimated about 134 structures could use the special permit if property owners choose to apply.

City Administration officials voiced support. Mike Nicholson, identified at the hearing as representing the administration, said the city solicitor had reviewed the language and that “with the amount of development that's currently happening in the city, I really do believe something like this is in the best interest to make sure that we're keeping some of the gems that we have in the city.” Chuck Lanay, who identified himself as head chair of the Guyton Historical Commission, said the commission is “in very big favor of this amendment” and cited an example of an aging Clark Street house he said could have benefited from earlier protections.

Councilors asked substantive questions. Councilor Mack asked whether existing parking — described in the presentation as about “101” spaces (with an alternate calculation of 97) for the combined uses on the site — would be sufficient for a proposed cafe, counseling services and potential residential uses. Tree responded that parking configurations include spaces created for the diner, parking in front and behind the former elementary school, potential expansion on the convent site, and a cooperative arrangement to share parking with a neighboring funeral home; she added that different uses occur at different times and that any deficiency would be resolved through the ZBA review.

Tree also described accessibility plans: ramped exterior access to make the proposed first‑floor restaurant accessible and the possibility of locating accessible counseling space in the basement; she said third‑floor residential units would likely not be accessible.

The petitioned amendment had previously been considered by the Planning Board, Tree said, and the public hearing was closed after no speakers registered opposition. No formal vote or ordinance adoption occurred at the June 9 hearing; the council and planning board opened and closed the joint public hearing on item 11534 and left consideration for subsequent legislative action.

The discussion combined particulars about one project (100 Central Street, owned by Chair City Church) with citywide ordinance language changes; proponents said the change would ease preservation projects without imposing demolition delays or creating automatic approvals, while retaining ZBA oversight.