The Peabody City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a special permit that will allow 4951 Lowell Street Holdings LLC to operate a contractor’s shop at 49–51 Lowell Street.

Attorney John Kelty, representing the applicant, told the council his client acquired the property in May 2025 and revised the site plan to show a dumpster location, a landscaped area to meet downtown-design requirements and a central double catch basin. Kelty said the applicant "is in complete agreement with those conditions." Councilor Julie Daigle presided.

Councilor Andy McGinn, who presented the motion, described the property as a high-visibility site near Leather City Common that recently underwent cleanup after demolition of a dilapidated residence. He said departmental reviews from Community Development, the Conservation Commission and the Department of Public Services had been addressed with the applicant and that conditions were negotiated to resolve outstanding concerns.

The council approved the permit with conditions that the council recorded as part of the motion: the applicable site plan is the version dated 11/13/2025; deliveries shall be made by vans or similarly sized vehicles; there shall be no overnight storage of vehicles; dumpster location must match the site plan and be screened from view from Lowell Street and abutters in compliance with zoning section 10.4(c); no outdoor storage, stockpiles or contractor work outside the building; downtown Main Street subdistrict design standards apply, including a landscape buffer to limit views of the parking area; signs must comply with zoning section 11; and business hours are limited to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The clerk conducted a roll-call vote; all ten councilors present voted yes and the motion carried 10–0. The council closed the public hearing before the vote. No members of the public spoke for or against the application in person or via Zoom.

Next steps: the special-permit decision includes the listed conditions and the city will file the action with the clerk’s office per normal process.