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Lowell planning board begins review of LDO Article 8 amid resident concern over denser Main Street development
Summary
At its meeting the Lowell Planning Board discussed possible revisions to the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) Article 8 — the Residential Main Street transition district — after staff said developers have been acquiring lots, demolishing structures and proposing duplexes/triplexes. Board members and residents raised concerns about lot sizes, setbacks, parking and traffic; staff will gather comparative examples and invite the ordinance author to brief the board.
The Lowell Planning Board spent the bulk of its meeting discussing potential changes to the Land Development Ordinance’s Article 8 — the Residential Main Street transition district — after staff described recent proposals under the ordinance that would allow denser housing near downtown.
The Planning Board’s staff member said developers have been buying vacant or dilapidated properties, “essentially tearing those down and then subdividing the lots,” and that the current ordinance permits duplexes and triplexes in that district. The staff member noted some affected lots measure about 0.15 to 0.17 acres, and that the Residential Main Street transition district currently contemplates minimum lot sizes near 5,000 square feet while the SFR‑4 single‑family…
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