Yarmouth approves special permit for seasonal employee housing at Harborside Suites with code‑of‑conduct conditions

YARMOUTH — The Yarmouth Zoning Board of Appeals on May 28 unanimously approved a special permit for seasonal employee housing at the Harborside Suites (953 Route 28), allowing the property owner to set aside 23 rooms for J‑1 workers during the summer season.

Attorney Gary Blank, representing Hanuman Darshan LLC, said the seasonal workers are “greatly needed by the local businesses in this town” and listed several employers that rely on the staff. He told the board the hotel managed a similar program last year (16 rooms, about 35% of the facility) without incident and that on‑site managers Jenny and Ram Kishan would remain in place. Blank described rules for residents including a 10 p.m. curfew, no overnight guests, weekly room inspections, a cleaning service, and designated bike racks.

Chair Sean Igoe read an email from Yarmouth Police Officer Nicholas Giamarco confirming he "didn't find anything in the log" for the property during the previous season (requested range May 1–Oct. 31, 2025). Board members asked about countries of origin and transportation; Blank said most seasonal employees arrive without cars and rely on bicycles or employer-provided transportation.

Board member John moved to approve the petition as requested, incorporating the J‑1 motel stay rules and conditions from prior approvals (quiet hours 10 p.m.–7 a.m., no overnight guests, no smoking in buildings, weekly inspections, designated bike storage). Barbara Murphy seconded. The board discussed whether to expand the bike‑rack condition to explicitly include electric scooters and agreed to rely primarily on the hotel's property rules; the motion passed by a unanimous roll‑call vote.

Igoe told counsel the board will file the decision with the town clerk and that the 20‑day appeal period applies before the permit may be recorded.