PEABODY SCHOOLS BUS ROUTES & SCHEDULES
SEE PAGES 8 & 9 ECRWSS PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #67
Peabody, MA POSTAL CUSTOMER
Vol. 3, No. 35
-FREE-
www.advocatenews.net
Info@advocatenews.net
Phytotherapy sticking with 25 Newbury St. despite rumors By Christopher Roberson
D
espite rumblings that medical marijuana applicant Alexander Athanas had purchased the building at 29 Newbury St., which is currently occupied by Don’s Power Equipment, Attorney James Smith, counsel for Athanas, said his client still intends to open Phytotherapy in the Brothers Kouzina building at 25 Newbury St. “Right now, there are absolutely no plans to do anything other than what we’ve been doing,” said Smith, adding that Athanas has only ex- Phytotherapy owner Alexander Athanas has expressed interest in pressed an interest in pur- purchasing 29 Newbury St., which is currently occupied by Don’s chasing 29 Newbury St., and Power Equipment. “He’d like to buy it if the price is right.” “I imagine we will be well into “We have not received the That building’s owner, next year before anyone is traffic study for Phytotherapy; James Christopher, did not ready to open.” we have no further update,” wish to comment on the matAlthough a traffic study said Allyson Danforth of the ter. had not been submitted pri- City Clerk’s Office. Regarding Phytotherapy’s or to the June 28 City Council Yet, Smith maintained that current status, Smith said that meeting, the councillors still there is no time requirement Athanas is in the process of voted 10-1 to grant Athanas’s to file the traffic study and forming his design team and request for a Special Permit. that the document would be is “moving forward with the However, in the two months submitted before Phytotherthat have passed since the apy opens its doors. “It will cultivation facility.” “This whole process will meeting, a traffic study has | SEE PAGE 14 take some time,” said Smith. yet to be submitted.
PHYTOTHERAPY
Peabody Fire and Police Memorial Golf Tournament
Paul McGinnity of The Barber Shoppe off the Square sponsored a hole during the Peabody Fire and Police Memorial 5th Annual Golf Tournament on Monday morning at The Meadow of Peabody, offering refreshments to the teams. This year, funds were raised in honor of Army Soldier, Hunter Josselyn, a Peabody soldier who was wounded by gunshots while serving in Afghanistan. See more photo highlights on pages 6 & 7. (Advocate photo by Katy Rogers)
978-777-6397
Friday, August 31, 2018
City Council committee rejects proposal for residential overlay By Christopher Roberson
derwood, Stonegate and Birchwood are still pendhe City Council’s Indus- ing. “That’s a lot of housing trial and Community and that’s without the zonDevelopment Committee ing change,” said Turco. recently voted 4-1 against He also called attention the proposal to create a res- to the city’s problems with idential overlay district de- flooding and infrastrucsigned to combine conven- ture. “No matter where you tional neighborhoods with put these projects, we don’t commercial zones. have the infrastructure to “The main purpose of this support them and we don’t is to prevent poor develop- have the ability to retain ment and look for better de- any more water,” he said. velopment,” said CommuIn addition, Turco said resnity Development Direc- idents have moved to Peator Curt Bellavance during body to escape the heavy an Aug. 23 meeting, add- construction in communiing that he was consider- ties such as Beverly, Salem, ing Route 1 and Route 114 Chelsea, Revere and East as possible locations for Boston. “They came here the overlay. “We’re falling because it’s a sleepy town to short of our housing needs say the least,” he said. in Massachusetts; we need Councillor-at-Large David to produce about half a mil- Gravel said that although lion residential units in the the concept of a residential next 20 years.” overlay seemed logical, he Bellavance said the 21-30 wanted more information age bracket is the only one on the proposed locations. in the state that is currently Gravel agreed with Turon the decline. “The number co about Peabody’s aging one reason for them leaving infrastructure. “We’re at a Massachusetts is housing,” point in time where the inhe said. “It’s something we frastructure in our city is need to address.” getting old,” he said. He also said that no large Councillor-at-Large residential developments Thomas Rossignoll also ophave been built in Peabody posed the idea. “An overlay since 2005. at this point, I just don’t see Speaking about the spe- it as being a strong benefit,” cifics of the overlay, Bel- he said. lavance said no existing However, Council Presibuildings would be con- dent Edward Charest spoke verted into residential units; in favor of the overlay, saythere would be no more ing loft apartments above than two bedrooms per businesses are appealing unit; the number of curb to millennial-age residents. cuts would be limited and “This proposal would not there would be buffer zones drastically affect the neigharound all parking areas. borhoods; I do support it,” In response, Ward 1 Coun- he said. cillor Jon Turco said the city is not in a position to accept Wiggin Auditorium a new residential overlay. update “We are way ahead of ourIn other news, Bellavance selves with doing this kind updated the committee on of construction right now,” the repairs being made to he said. the Wiggin Auditorium at Turco said the council City Hall. only recently approved a He said the process has $2.7 million loan to recti- taken “a little bit longer” as fy the water pressure prob- the $140,000 grant needed lems in the area around to be approved by the MasRed’s Kitchen + Tavern on sachusetts Historical SociRoute 1 North. ety. However, he said the He also said the residen| SEE PAGE 14 tial developments of Boul-
T
CITY COUNCIL