Zoning Board of Adjustment — April 7, 2026
The meeting followed standard procedural protocols and the board reached a unanimous decision on the primary item of business.
Public impact
401 Main Street Residential Conversion
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The applicant argued that the second-floor units are unsuitable for commercial use due to low visibility. The board raised questions regarding septic capacity and the safety of a nearby childcare playground.
The board approved the residential use variance (5-0) contingent upon septic approval and playground safety compliance.
The project must proceed to the Planning Board for site plan review.
Decisions logged
Topics discussed
00:32 Election of Board Officers
The Board held votes to confirm officers for the upcoming year.
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The board moved to elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary for the new term.
Edward Huminick was re-elected as Chair, Dionne Garon was elected Vice Chair, and Elaine Cottrell was elected Secretary.
03:12 Petition No. 1: 401 Main Street Variance (Residential Use)
A request to permit four residential apartments in a mixed-use building within a commercial district.
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The applicant (401 Main Street, LLC) argued that the second-floor rear units are unsuited for commercial use due to lack of visibility and requested a variance to convert them to four one-bedroom apartments. The Board discussed septic capacity concerns, potential safety issues regarding a nearby childcare playground, and the necessity of a Planning Board review for the use conversion.
The Board approved the first variance request.
The applicant must obtain septic approval and comply with any laws regarding children's playground safety; the project must also proceed to the Planning Board for site plan review.
22:34 Petition No. 1: 401 Main Street Variance (Workforce Housing)
A request to waive the requirement that 10% of units in new multi-family projects be dedicated to workforce housing.
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The attorney argued that the 10% requirement should not apply to such a small-scale project (four units) and noted that the 2025 Town Master Plan recommends a 0% affordable housing requirement for projects with 0-7 units.
The transcript segment ends during the presentation of the second variance request; no vote is recorded for this specific item.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
401 Main Street Variance (Residential Use & Workforce Housing)
Community vs. board tension
Action items
Notable statements
The requested residential use would produce less traffic than many of the commercial uses permitted in the LCS district. — Unidentified speaker · Argument regarding the impact of the variance on local traffic circulation. 13:37
I think it would have to go to the planning board. [due to] a conversion of greater than 500 square feet from one use to another use. — Unidentified speaker · Clarifying the procedural requirement for the conversion of the office space. 16:42
Member positions
Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position. UNCLEAR means the vote was split but the record did not name how this member voted — it is not a “yes.”
Public comment
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gemma-4-26b, grok-4.3, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning, grok-4-fast · analyzed 2026-06-22.