The following letter was submitted to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) prior to their October 18, 2023 meeting. You can find additional meeting materials, comments, and letters on the City of Salem Sharepoint here: https://tinyurl.com/SalemZBA Under 2023 Meetings and 10-18-2023 Meeting
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September 19, 2023
Zoning Board of Appeals
Chair: Peter A. Copelas
Salem City Hall
93 Washington Street
Salem MA. 01970
We are writing with respect to the request for zoning variances at 75 North Street. This property is located within the North River Canal Corridor Zoning District (“NRCC Zoning District”), which was created in response to the North River Canal Corridor Master Plan of 2003.
The Master Plan was led by a 20-member group appointed by Mayor Usovicz which consisted of business owners, members of the community, residents, volunteers, and Historic Salem Inc. The Master Plan states in its vision statement that the goal of the plan is to, “Encourage development projects that preserve the unique historic character and scale of the adjacent neighborhoods, and which take advantage of its waterfront location. Use zoning to encourage desired quality development that respects the quality of life provided by the existing neighborhoods.”
The NRCC Zoning District has specific provisions to ensure that new development is compatible with nearby neighborhoods, for example the requirement for separate unit entrances is designed to encourage townhouse style development, such as The Ice Cream Way Condo at 9 Mason Street.
If these variances were granted, we believe the new building proposed for 75 North Street would be inconsistent with the 2003 North River Canal Corridor Master Plan. Therefore, we do not support the granting of variances for the height and density sought, nor do we see the site’s meeting consideration for a substantial hardship.
James Tegeder
Preservation Manager
Historic Salem Inc.
