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Peabody Zoning Board continues Meredith Road appeal to allow licensed survey after building-permit dispute
Summary
The Zoning Board continued an administrative appeal tied to an enforcement order for a Fort Meredith Road property to Sept. 21 to allow a licensed land survey to be completed and reviewed with the building commissioner; board members criticized submitted placeholder plans and noted apparent unpermitted construction.
Attorney Brian McGrail told the Peabody Zoning Board of Appeals on June 15 that his client, James G. Ferrero (as trustee), needs time to complete a current licensed land survey ordered by Building Commissioner Saint Pierre and asked the board to continue the administrative appeal until the board's September meeting.
The chair and multiple board members pressed McGrail about why the survey was not completed within the 30-day window set out in the enforcement letter dated April 9, 2026. The chair repeatedly described the situation as "a mess," citing what the building commissioner reported: an unpermitted garage, a shed and a farmer's porch that may require variances or permits.
McGrail said the plan uploaded to the board's portal in early May was a placeholder required by the application process and not an as-built instrument. "We have retained a licensed, professional surveyor to do that work," McGrail said, adding that he expects the survey to be finished by the end of August and that he will file a copy with the board. He also said he has spoken with the other owner's attorney and that the two co-owners are not currently cooperating.
Board members questioned why the May plan stamped by a professional (Edward J. Farrell) could not suffice. One member warned that the board has no appetite for repeated continuances: "If you're gonna come here next month and ask for another continuance, that will never happen," the chair said. Members urged clarity about building-permit status and asked McGrail to provide the name of the contractor who performed the unpermitted work.
During public comment neighbors and attendees raised concerns about a mobile home on the front lawn of the property and neighborhood impacts; one audience speaker urged the board not to leave the mobile home on site for two more months while the parties resolve ownership and repair issues.
After discussion the board voted to grant the applicant's request for a continuance to the Sept. 21 meeting to allow the licensed survey to be completed and reviewed. McGrail offered to send a letter extending statutory time limits and to submit the final survey prior to the next hearing.
The board's action was procedural: it continued the administrative appeal rather than resolving the underlying enforcement order. Next steps recorded at the hearing: McGrail will complete and file the licensed survey, the building commissioner may re-evaluate the property based on the survey, and the board will revisit any needed variances or formal relief in September.
