Lee Planning Board advances mill overlay bylaw and storage moratorium
Planning Board · Meeting of April 27, 2026
Lee Planning Board sends mill-reuse bylaw and battery storage moratorium to town meeting. The board voted 4-0 to recommend amendments to its adaptive reuse overlay district, used only twice since 2008, after Berkshire Regional Planning Commission planner CJ Haas said the "biggest change" gives the Select Board flexibility to approve uses not explicitly listed. Board member Gordon raised concerns the overlay amounts to "spot zoning" across residential districts.
The board then voted 5-0 to recommend a six-month moratorium on commercial battery energy storage systems, running through November 14, 2026, calling it a stopgap "to give us a procedure and a practice" ahead of an October 1 state clean-energy permitting deadline. Members also discussed a rejected $1.9 million town offer for part of the Price Chopper property and a $50,000 vacant-storefront tax credit program. Both zoning measures go to the May 14 annual town meeting.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 981 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of April 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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