Barnstable Planning Board Reapproves Hyannis Lodging House Permit After Notice Failure

BARNSTABLE — July 13, 2026 — Barnstable Planning Board rehears and reapproves a Hyannis workforce housing permit after a newspaper failed to publish required public notice. The board voted five to zero Monday to approve special permit SP-2026-002, allowing applicant William Haney to convert 82 School Street from an institutional lodging house to a workforce housing lodging house — a nonconforming-use-to-nonconforming-use change permitted under Section 240-24.1.5.B of the town's zoning bylaw. Assistant Director for Planning and Development Kyle Pedicini said the re-hearing was forced "through no fault of staff" after the newspaper never ran the notice. The board also unanimously endorsed an approval-not-required plan splitting a non-buildable parcel at 90 Lincoln Street in Centerville for conveyance purposes and re-elected Chair Steven Robichaud, Vice Chair Tim O'Neill, and Clerk Matt Tague by acclamation. The meeting closed with an extended discussion of a new state law, signed July 9 as part of the state budget, that members said eliminates the traditional three-part hardship test for variances and extends final permit validity to 24 months — changes Tague called "a big deal" that could substantially reduce local ZBA caseloads.