Charlestown council formalizes comprehensive plan, approves rezoning and meeting-date changes

CHARLESTOWN — At its March 2 meeting the Charlestown Common Council took several procedural up-or-down votes: it adopted a resolution to formalize the previously approved 2026 comprehensive plan, approved a city-initiated zoning map correction on Spring Street, and amended its April and May meeting dates and times to avoid quorum conflicts.

Resolution 2026R2 formally adopts the 2026 comprehensive plan the council had approved at an earlier meeting but had not yet memorialized by resolution. Counsel and staff confirmed edits requested by councilors had been incorporated before the resolution was brought forward; the council approved the resolution on a motion by Chuck Eaton and a second by Shannon Elder. The transcript records a unanimous voice vote; no roll-call tally was read aloud.

On zoning, staff explained the map amendment covers a small, city-owned parcel on the Spring Street side so that the planned unit development request is complete. The advisory plan commission had recommended the change unanimously; the council approved the map amendment by voice vote.

Finally, the council adjusted meeting dates to address scheduling conflicts. The April meeting will occur April 7 at 5:30 p.m. to accommodate the redevelopment commission schedule; the May meeting will move to May 11 at 6 p.m. so the council does not overlap with the disability advisory committee and other boards. Staff was directed to advertise the changes as legally required and to post updates on the city website.

These votes were procedural; council members said the actions allow the city to move forward with zoning map updates and begin zoning-map- and UDO-related steering committee meetings now that state legislative activity that could affect local controls has settled.