Salem Planning Board Meeting - June 9, 2026

The Planning Board met on June 9, 2026, under Chair Damon Norcross. The main item was a public hearing for a change of use and conditional use permit for reduced parking at 291 South Broadway (Funhouse Plaza) to allow an 18,000 square foot fitness studio (House of Athletes). The board also discussed several other matters including zoning amendments, a phased development, temporary outdoor seating, and EV chargers. The meeting concluded with approvals and directions for future meetings.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes from May 26, 2026 were tabled (not approved).
• The first new business item, the Clark Subdivision Plan at 8 Atkinson Road, was withdrawn by the applicant.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public or abutters spoke on the applications. Chair Norcross acknowledged a young man in attendance but gave him a pass to speak if desired.

Discussion Items

• Funhouse Plaza / House of Athletes Site Plan

  • Applicant David Jordan (engineer, Greenman Peterson) presented a request to change the use of an 18,000 sq ft second-floor retail space to a fitness/athletic performance facility (House of Athletes). The facility offers scheduled classes and personal training, no open gym. Hours of operation were provided, with class sizes of 25 (adults) and 15-20 (youth). The applicant argued the parking demand would be 30-50 spaces, well under the 236 existing spaces on site, versus the zoning requirement of 409 spaces for all combined uses. A trip generation memo submitted showed 50% fewer weekday trips compared to a retail tenant. The applicant also noted a lease cap of 50 parking spaces for House of Athletes.
  • Planning Director Jacob Lafontaine reported that a third-party traffic review by Steve Perna had been initiated by the applicant but was not completed due to a miscommunication. Lafontaine listed several site plan issues: missing landscaping (dead/diseased trees), excessive temporary signage, need for pedestrian crosswalks and stop bar markings, and adding ADA spaces.
  • Board members expressed varying views. Bianca Carlson stated she would not have required a traffic study given the underutilized lot. Paul Pelletier criticized the delay caused by the incomplete review, emphasizing the applicant's costs and schedule. Jim Harvey suggested approving with a condition requiring favorable review by Perna. Bob Gibbs noted the parking lot is already busy but the applicant's plan seems reasonable. Victor Hellenic supported adding a crosswalk. Chair Norcross acknowledged queuing concerns but noted the signalized intersection.
  • The applicant's team (Adam Abbas, property manager) expressed concern about conditions that could create deed restrictions, particularly a proposed condition limiting classes to appointment only with no open gym. Abbas argued that the lease already caps parking and that managing the property effectively should be left to the owner. Lafontaine noted that representations made by the applicant (e.g., no open gym) would be incorporated as conditions of approval anyway. After discussion, the board agreed to remove the specific condition restricting open gym and instead rely on the condition that all representations are part of the approval.
  • The board also discussed the need for post-occupancy monitoring studies. Jordan suggested a post-occupancy study instead of waiting for Perna's review. Lafontaine recommended keeping the third-party review as a condition but allowing flexibility. The final conditions included: prior to building permit submit staff and third-party traffic consultant approvals; construct site improvements per plan; establish escrow for post-occupancy monitoring if deemed necessary; re-establish landscaping and remove non-permitted temporary signage; provide certified as-built plan; submit post-occupancy monitoring report if deemed necessary; any use increasing traffic beyond estimates requires further board approval; note conditional use permit for reduced parking and hours of operation; applicant must operate so that parking capacity is not exceeded; all representations are incorporated.

• Other Matters

  • Casella Waste Management (53 Pelham Road): Lafontaine presented a proposal to phase the previously approved site plan (approved January 25, 2024). The applicant wants to postpone two 2,000 sq ft additions to a future phase. The board agreed to staff's recommendation to allow phasing, subject to engineering approvals.
  • Sadies at 136 Cliff Crossing: A request for temporary outdoor patio seating (48 seats) from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., ending September 7, 2026. Lafontaine noted that the patio had been used during COVID but not since. The board expressed support with a condition that parking be managed to avoid overflow. Lafontaine will review the site's parking capacity and seat count.
  • EV Chargers at Northeastern (9 Northeastern Blvd): A proposal for four EV charging stations. The board approved under public matters, with a note to have fire department review due to safety concerns.
  • Zoning Amendments Discussion: Lafontaine reviewed proposed amendments to the use table (consolidating school, daycare, church, personal services categories), mixed-use development in commercial districts (to comply with HB 631, but subject to pending HB 1588), cigar bar and kennel regulations, and height issues (three stories vs. 35 feet). The board discussed the need to align with state law if HB 1588 passes, and the complexity of defining half-stories. No votes were taken; the amendments will be revisited at future meetings.
  • ADU Seminar Update: Lafontaine reported on a recent ADU seminar that was well-attended. Since January 2026, 11 detached ADUs have been permitted. Issues discussed include septic capacity (contingency plans vs. new systems), driveways, basements, and utility connections. The board noted the need for potential ordinance clarifications.

Key Outcomes

• Funhouse Plaza / House of Athletes: Motion by Bianca Carlson to conditionally approve the change of use and conditional use permit for reduced parking (236 spaces where 409 required) subject to 10 conditions as outlined by staff. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
• Casella Waste Management: Staff-level approval of the phased plan, subject to engineering approvals.
• Sadies Temporary Patio: Approved with a condition that parking is managed; staff will review seat counts.
• EV Chargers: Approved under public matters with fire department review.
• Zoning Amendments: Discussion continued; board will reconsider at the June 23 or July 14 meeting pending state legislation.
• Future Meeting: The next meeting (June 23) will include public hearings on the open space master plan, 8 Atkinson Road, and 401 Main Street.