Planning Board Deadlocks on Data Center Moratorium

Planning Board · Meeting of October 14, 2026

STONEHAM — The Stoneham Planning Board deadlocked 2-2 on recommending a two-year data center moratorium, sending it to town meeting without the board's backing. Town Planner Erin Wartman filed the moratorium, running through July 1, 2028, citing a lack of reliable data on data centers' water and energy impacts and a pending state guidance deadline of December 31, 2026. Members Brianna Kelly and Ellen McBride voted for the pause; Vice Chairman Kevin Dolan and Chairman Frank Vallarelli voted against it, with Dolan warning "this town needs tax money" and arguing a one-year moratorium or special permit requirement was more appropriate.

The board separately voted 4-0 to recommend favorable action on an article requiring Planning Board site plan review for Dover Amendment uses with 10 or more occupants, prompted by a contested Broadway sober-home case, and voted 4-0 to recodify its development mitigation policy into the zoning bylaw. All three articles go to the October 19 special town meeting.

In the full story:

• Approval of August Minutes
• Request for EOHLC Advisory Opinion: 24 Highland Avenue and 57 Stephen Street
• Public Hearing: Article 1, Development Impact Assessment and Mitigation Bylaw
• Public Hearing: Article 2, Dover Amendment Site Plan Review Threshold
• Public Hearing: Article 3, Temporary Moratorium on Data Centers
• Inclusionary Zoning Bylaw: Fee-in-Lieu and Affordability Formula Review
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,868 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of October 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.