Beacon Considers Rezoning Request

Residents fear “Main Street-style” buildings
From the Highlands Current
​By Jeff Simms
With round one in the books, the public hearing on whether to rezone a handful of parcels within Beacon’s Main Street-to-river linkage zone will continue next month.
The process began on Monday (April 4) when the City Council heard arguments from a number of residents who believe their properties should not be part of a section of Beacon designated for dense residential growth.
At issue are seven parcels — two on South Avenue and five on Wolcott Avenue — that sit inside the city’s “linkage zone,” an area designated in 2013 for expanded growth to support nearby Main Street businesses. The seven properties are also part of the Historic District and Landmark Overlay, and some of the property owners believe the linkage zoning is at odds with the intent of the historic district.
Several of the property owners filed a petition with the city in February asking that the seven parcels be returned to their pre-linkage, medium-density zoning. read more...