Neighbors press zoning board over 20‑unit Chapter 40B proposal on West Street; hearing continued to March 11

The Wareham Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 28 continued a public hearing on a Chapter 40B comprehensive permit for 4 West Street after town consultants said more technical information was needed and dozens of neighbors urged the board to reject the proposal as incompatible with the neighborhood.

The applicant's team, represented in part by Dean Harrison, described a three‑building proposal totaling 20 rental units, five of which would be designated affordable under Chapter 40B. Joe Webbby of Webbby Engineering said the project footprint was shifted after a wetland delineation and that the team has submitted a traffic review and additional technical materials for peer review.

The town's peer reviewer and planner told the board the application remains incomplete. "By and large the summary was the applicant provided a preliminary plan generally declaring their intent for development and it didn't address a lot of the normal elements," the peer reviewer said, listing outstanding items including stormwater, site‑distance and bylaw waiver documentation.

Opposition from nearby homeowners was unequivocal. "This proposal represents a 10‑fold increase in density on a lot located within a quiet established residential neighborhood," said Elizabeth Rooney, a West Street resident, calling the project "fundamentally incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood in terms of scale, density and character." Another resident, Sydney P, told the board: "Twenty is ridiculous," citing lack of sidewalks, open space and an active railroad track behind the site.

Members of the board repeatedly emphasized they could not make a meaningful recommendation until the peer reviewer and town planner had time to evaluate the traffic study and the applicant's responses. Board member Jim Akubachi said the peer review had "identified areas that we were lacking in" and that the applicant must provide written responses and revised plans prior to the next hearing. Chair Nazi El Kalasi asked the applicant to provide the full set of updates and for the peer reviewer to confirm receipt of the traffic materials.

Several board members signaled openness to mitigation while also warning that a denial could be appealed to the state housing appeals process. "I'd prefer to see this mitigated," said one member, "but if the applicant insists on 20, they may get a negative vote from this board." The applicant said they previously sought a Local Initiative Program endorsement for 14 units and that the town process constrained their options.

After discussion, the board voted to continue the public hearing to March 11, 2026 to allow town consultants to complete review of the traffic report and for the applicant to provide substantive written responses to peer review comments.

Next steps: the applicant must supply the peer reviewer and town staff with the updated traffic report and written responses before the March 11 meeting. If materials remain incomplete, the board indicated it would maintain the continuation and could consider a negative recommendation based on the state‑law standard of safety, health or welfare.

Sources: statements and exchanges at the Wareham Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing on Jan. 28, 2026.