Continued Public Hearing: 214 High, LLC (214 High Street)
The board continued the hearing to November 5, 2026, at the applicant's request. Members were frustrated that the applicant still has no timeline after several months, and Planning Director Alan Manoian said he will recommend the applicant withdraw without prejudice if it cannot provide a concrete schedule.
Continued Public Hearing: Town of Ipswich Water & Wastewater Director (pump stations at 25 Green Street and 65 East Street)
The board continued the hearing to November 5, 2026, at the applicant's request. There was no discussion.
Continued Public Hearing: GCTH Ipswich, LLC (Hill Garage at 251 Topsfield Road / 1 Manor House Lane)
The board closed the hearing and approved the special permit modification "with edits as discussed." Mitchell Lowe abstained. The added conditions cover:
- A code-compliant van-accessible parking space.
- Permeable pavers in the turnaround.
- A fieldstone-faced retaining wall.
- Golf-ball screening details, to be submitted to the Planning Office.
- A Hill Garage construction schedule. Once it is submitted, the already-built Parking Lot D may open.
The main point of contention was Lowe's objection that revised architectural plans reached the board only that day. Other members felt nothing substantive had changed.
Continued Public Hearing: Waldingfield Estate, LLC (55 Waldingfield Road)
The board continued the hearing to November 5 and took no vote on the merits. It asked for:
- Full-size, more definitive architectural drawings.
- A list of the 2022 conditions the applicant wants removed.
- A staff draft decision comparing the approved plan with the proposed changes.
The most debated issue was traffic safety on narrow, rural Waldingfield Road. Resident Jack Whittier said the traffic study ignores pedestrians, cyclists and horses, and leaves out barn traffic. The applicant's engineer said peak-hour trips would rise about 15% over existing volumes, far below what was approved in 2022, and that the applicant remains open to working with the towns on traffic calming.
Application by Shendel Bakal: Modification of Definitive Subdivision (55 Town Farm Road)
The board approved the modification. It allows underground electric and water lines along the gravel driveway, with two utility poles set back 3 feet from the property line. A condition requires a subdivision inspector, paid for by the applicant, to oversee the work. Members confirmed the deadlines for completing improvements now run from endorsement of the modified plan, roughly three years. This item was taken up after 40 Chattanooga Road, and the applicant was not present.
New Public Hearing: Sharon M. Fuller, Modification of Definitive Subdivision (40 Chattanooga Road)
The board continued the hearing to November 5 and will schedule a new site visit (the last one was in January 2024). Before deciding, members want to review:
- The town's road standards for a "court" serving one or two homes.
- The requested waivers, which match those granted in 2015 plus a new request to waive the filing fee.
- The Conservation Commission's order of conditions.
Neighbor Linda Riley described severe and worsening flooding in the area and worried that clearing the site could make it worse. The applicant's engineer said the stormwater design, approved after a 2½-year peer review, handles runoff from a roughly 16-acre upslope watershed by sending overflow to the marsh across Little Neck Road.
Vote to Release 53G Account Funds
The board approved, by separate voice votes, returning five unused peer-review account balances totaling $3,596.99. There was no discussion.
Director's Update: Inclusionary Housing – Payment in Lieu Schedule
This was discussion only. Manoian proposed a roughly 15-minute workshop at the November 5 meeting on updating the payment-in-lieu schedule. He cited Massachusetts Housing Partnership data showing a 16% cost increase over two years and said he will introduce new Housing Coordinator Aileen Hubbard.
Adopt 9/24/2026 Meeting Minutes
The board approved the minutes with edits. The edits remove a duplicated paragraph in the Director's Update section and correct members' names ("Lo and Crespi"). A proposed change to Design Review Board member Sarah Burroughs' title was dropped after discussion.
Key Decisions
- 214 High Street: Continued to November 5, 2026, at 7 p.m. Moved by Crespi, seconded by Hammond, approved by voice vote.
- Water & Wastewater pump stations: Continued to November 5, 2026, at 7 p.m. Moved by Lowe, seconded by Crespi, approved by voice vote.
- GCTH Ipswich (Hill Garage), hearing closed: Moved by Crawford, seconded by Hammond, approved by voice vote.
- GCTH Ipswich (Hill Garage), special permit modification: Approved with edits. Moved by Hammond, seconded by Crespi; no opposition; Lowe abstained.
- Waldingfield Estate: Continued to November 5, 2026, at 7 p.m. Moved by Crespi, seconded by Hammond, approved by voice vote.
- 40 Chattanooga Road: Continued to November 5, 2026, at 7 p.m., with a site visit to be scheduled. Moved by Lowe, seconded by Hammond. The vote was by voice, though one member said she had not heard the motion before the chair restated it.
- 55 Town Farm Road: Subdivision modification approved as drafted by planning staff.
- 53G refunds: All five approved by voice vote:
- $28.27 to New England Biolabs
- $1,458.75 to David Massey (10 Turner Hill)
- $392.47 to PGN Realty Trust (145 High Street)
- $780.00 to Depot Square Realty Trust (13–15 Depot Square)
- $937.50 to United Pipe and Steel (83 Turnpike Road)
- 9/24/2026 minutes: Approved with edits. Moved by Lowe, seconded by Crespi.
Related Upcoming Meetings
- November 5, 2026, 7:00 p.m., Room A, Town Hall: Continued hearings for:
- 214 High Street
- Water & Wastewater pump stations
- Waldingfield Estate (55 Waldingfield Road)
- 40 Chattanooga Road