Council continues hearing on ADU zoning amendments, requests MRPC and planning department input

On Jan. 12 the council considered a continued public hearing on a proposed update to Article 15 (accessory dwelling units) to align Leominster’s zoning with recently passed state law and other changes. Council members said they had outstanding questions about draft language that may conflict with the table of uses and setback provisions; councilor Shalifo Zephyr read written guidance from KP Law highlighting internal conflicts and recommending edits (for example, a provision that could be read to prohibit single‑family homes in a BB district and conflicting setback language for accessory structures).

Members agreed to schedule a subcommittee meeting, requested written replies from MRPC and city planning staff, and asked the city clerk to forward attorney responses and planning comments to subcommittee members before the next meeting. The council set a subcommittee meeting and continued the public hearing, anticipating a review with planning staff and MRPC representation.

Next steps: Subcommittee meeting to be scheduled within roughly a week to review attorney feedback, MRPC input, and planning staff clarifications before returning the matter to the full council.