Gloucester council committee drops the coastal lot size change, OKs Middle Street Walk closure for Dec. 12

Gloucester's City Council Planning and Development Committee needed four minutes Wednesday to clear its agenda. It withdrew a zoning change for the coastal residential district and backed a street closure for the Middle Street Walk on Dec. 12. Both votes were by voice, all in favor, from the meeting video.

What happened

• A council order to raise the minimum lot area per home in the RC-40 coastal residential district from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet was withdrawn without prejudice. Councilor Scott Memhard, its sponsor, asked for the withdrawal; Chair Jason Grow said he had decided not to move forward.
• Middle Street will close between School Street and Washington Street from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12 for the Middle Street Walk, with signs, notice to neighbors and police details.
• The committee next meets Wednesday, Nov. 4, the day after the state election, with what Grow called a long agenda.

The lot size change

The order, CC#2026-012, had been before the committee since July. It would have doubled the land required for each home in the RC-40 district, which covers parts of the city's coast. Grow moved to withdraw it at Memhard's request. Asked whether the sponsor had explained why, Grow said he was simply deciding not to move forward. The vote was all in favor. Withdrawn without prejudice means the idea could be filed again later.

The Middle Street Walk

Grow moved to let the Middle Street Walk Committee close Middle Street from School Street to Washington Street on Dec. 12 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., with three conditions: signs marking the closure and alternate routes, with any big change to the route or safety plan going back to the council; notice to immediate abutters and businesses by hand or mail at least seven days before; and police details at the corners of Middle and Washington streets and Church and Washington streets.

Grow said the walk committee gets its event permit from the city's special events committee each year and the council handles the street. He called it a great event for families. A member asked about a rain or snow date; there is none. The vote was all in favor.

What was decided

• Withdraw CC#2026-012, RC-40 minimum lot area: all in favor, from the meeting video.
• Middle Street closure for the Middle Street Walk, Dec. 12, noon to 3 p.m., with three conditions: all in favor, from the meeting video.

The committee recommends; the full City Council takes the final vote.

What happens next

• Tuesday, Oct. 27: next regular City Council meeting.
• Wednesday, Nov. 4: next Planning and Development Committee meeting.
• Saturday, Dec. 12: Middle Street Walk.

Where to find the records

• Committee agenda, Oct. 21 and packet
• Meeting recording, on the city's 2026 Past Meetings page

Earlier coverage: Wednesday on Cape Ann (Oct. 20), the agenda preview. Gloucester City Council approves 6 homes on Day Court off Essex Ave (Oct. 18), the committee's last project vote.

How we did this: Cape Ann Current watched the meeting online and checked names against the agenda and the council's committee roster on the city website. These are our meeting notes, not the city's minutes.