Peabody City Council on Oct. 9 voted 11-0 to approve a special permit for Professional Physical Therapy to operate at 635 Lowell Street, allowing personal physical-therapy services but not a medical-use center. The council approved amended hours proposed during the hearing: Monday through Friday 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Petitioners Ronnie Raja, identified as clinical director, and Alex Leon, identified as facilities director, described the proposed clinic as an orthopedic-focused physical-therapy practice serving West Peabody residents and filling a vacant suite. Raja said, "So we're just a physical therapy office, in the West Peabody area. Just trying to provide some services for some of the residents, the need of any orthopedic, conditions." He confirmed that the therapists are licensed and that licenses will be displayed in the clinic.

Councilors discussed the permit classification that appears on the application as "personal services for physical therapy, not medical use center." Petitioners clarified that their services do not include injections or other medical procedures that would require medical-use classification. Alex Leon explained, "It's not necessarily, in the sense of, like, sharps or anything like that. There's no injections being administered. Nothing within that nature."

Councilor Higgins, the ward councilor who moved to receive and approve the application, led a brief discussion about hours. Councilor Marilyn Martin suggested adopting uniform, broader hours to allow flexibility for patient needs; Higgins amended the permit hours after consulting with the petitioners. Raja confirmed the applicants' preferred schedule: Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.–3 p.m. The council recorded no public opposition during the hearing.

The council cited the application as filed in accordance with sections "4.2.5.6.1 and 15.7" of the PVD zoning ordinance as noted on the hearing notice. The motion to accept the application and approve the special permit with the amended hours passed on a roll-call vote: all 11 councilors present voted yes.

Next steps: The clerk will complete related permit paperwork and the zoning file will reflect the amended hours and the permit classification as "personal services for physical therapy, not medical use center."