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Fitchburg council approves several rezonings including two large multifamily projects
Summary
The Fitchburg Common Council on April 28 approved multiple rezonings and related plats to allow several large residential projects — including a 290‑unit Jamestown Quarry development and the 278‑unit Bowman Plaza — and cleared permits related to an Agrace hospice expansion and a senior living project. Council also approved associated plats and design reviews.
Fitchburg — The Common Council voted April 28 to approve several land‑use actions that clear the way for multiple large residential and mixed‑use projects across the city.
The council approved Ordinance 2026‑014 to rezone land at the Jamestown Quarry outlot to permit a 290‑unit multifamily building. Developer Corey Frank of CF Real Estate told the council the project includes 178 one‑bedroom, 92 two‑bedroom and 23 three‑bedroom market‑rate units, roughly 450 parking stalls (about 400 internal in a four‑story parking structure) and outdoor amenities shared with the adjacent building. Planning staff told the council the developer is providing a buffer substantially larger than the 60‑foot code minimum and will handle stormwater on‑site. "We ended up with substantially more than the minimum, making sure we were giving as big of a buffer as absolutely possible," Corey Frank said.
The council also approved Ordinance 2026‑012, rezoning property for Bowman Plaza at 2932 Fish Hatchery Road, a six‑story, mixed‑use project with 278 residential units and about 11,700 square feet of commercial space. A developer representative (introduced by staff as Nate Hoyt) said the project will include 309 parking stalls (289 in structured parking), 210 covered bike parking spaces, and shared parking arrangements with an adjacent church for some commercial demand. Council members pressed developers on energy systems and parking; the developer said HVAC will continue to use gas while the project will include solar where feasible. "We know we will beat the code," the developer said of energy performance, adding that full electrification was not feasible on this timeline.
Council approved multiple related items tied to health‑care providers. Resolution R10626 cleared a certified survey map connected with Agrace Hospice Care Holdings’ project, which staff described as a two‑phase initiative that will reconfigure the existing facility to add hospice capacity in Phase 1 and build a dementia‑village concept in Phase 2. Planning staff said Phase 1 will begin in May with completion in the fall, and Phase 2 would require additional approvals.
All land‑use items were reviewed by the plan commission and passed on council voice votes after question‑and‑answer exchanges between members and applicants. Council discussion focused on buffers to adjacent houses, stormwater management, parking counts, construction staging and potential mitigation for neighborhood traffic during construction.
What happens next: several of the projects will return for architectural design review or administrative reviews required under the city’s smart‑code process before building permits are issued. Developers and staff said they will coordinate construction timing, worker parking and delivery windows to limit neighborhood impacts.
Votes at a glance: Ordinance 2026‑014 (Jamestown Quarry rezoning) — approved; Ordinance 2026‑012 (Bowman Plaza rezoning) — approved; Ordinance 2026‑013 (assisted living/memory care rezoning at 5395 East Trail Parkway) and related resolutions for Agrace/SESTA projects — approved.
All quoted speakers and specific project counts are taken from council meeting remarks and the plan commission materials presented at the April 28 Common Council meeting.
