City attorney: court found planning-board denial of proposed site was arbitrary; board must revisit

The city attorney provided a legal update on a contested planning-board denial that had been challenged in court. The attorney said the judge found the board's denial "arbitrary and capricious" and indicated the record established an adequate site plan for permitting. The court directed the planning board to reconsider with conditioned requirements and gave approximately 15–20 days for certain items to be addressed; the attorney said judicial review limits the city's ability to seek reversal and indicated the likelihood of a successful appeal was low.

The attorney emphasized that while the court found the denial lacked a rational basis, there remain technical thresholds and conditions the developer must meet before a final site plan is approved. Council members discussed next procedural steps and the need to monitor the planning-board compliance with the judge's order.