Chatham board stalls vote on Penrose housing plan
Zoning Board · Meeting of August 20, 2026
Chatham Zoning Board delays vote on 42-unit Penrose affordable housing plan over sidewalk dispute. After roughly 12 months of hearings on the Meeting House Road comprehensive permit, members split sharply on whether Penrose must build a sidewalk as a safety condition, voting unanimously instead to continue deliberations to September 3 at 2 p.m., the last date before the board's September 15 filing deadline. Member Leigh Hovey said she "need[s] a sidewalk at this site in order to approve it," while members David Veach, Paul Semple and Edward Acton said the project's bike-path access, maintained and lit, was sufficient.
Board member David Nixon said he would vote no, citing child-safety risks on Route 137, a lack of elevators for disabled residents, and declining elementary enrollment. Town counsel said a contested sidewalk condition could trigger a Housing Appeals Committee review lasting six to 12 months.
In the full story:
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Source: the Zoning Board meeting of August 20, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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