At the November 19, 2024, Planning Board meeting, the board voted 5-0 to recommend the Town Center Amendments 2024 to the Town Council for consideration.  Outgoing Chair Jonathan Sahrbeck recused himself from the vote. As a Town Council-elect, Sahrbeck will be asked to consider the recommendations once he is sworn into office in December.

The Town Council referred Town Center Zoning District amendment requests from HardyPond Development on August 12, 2024.  HardyPond is requesting amendments for a proposed development of 33 residential unit apartments on Lots 3 & 4 in the Ocean House Common.  

The Planning Board discussed amendments at the September 3 and October 1 workshops.  In addition to requests from HardyPond Development, the board received a request from Lucas and Kristen Homicz regarding adding amendments to benefit the property at 1226 Shore Road.  What resulted are proposed amendments from the Planning Board to create a type of development, “Multifamily housing located 140’ or more from a public road right-of-way in the Town Center District.”  A development that qualifies is eligible for an alternative set of dimension requirements.  In a November 19 Memo from Town Planner  Maureen O’Meara, the concept is that, “Some land of some distance from a public road may have lesser value or utility for commercial uses, and may also be more suited to meet the need for a diversity of housing.  The setback 125’ has been selected to build in some flexibility for possible reuse of the 1934 middle school building, and also potentially impacts a few town center properties.” 

Vice Chair Andrew Gilbert surmised that the Planning Board supports higher density, "And these standardsd support that. We are not setting policy, we are merely informing.  We have talked a lot about this and this is what we are proposing and I feel pretty good about it."