Owners of Appleton Road property seek rezoning to help keep local restaurant employees housed

At Jan. 9’s meeting, Beth Jekanowski presented a citizen petition seeking to change 32 Appleton Road from R20 to R10 to allow additional ground cover that proponents said would help the property owner continue to house employees of local restaurants. Staff clarified the requested change would not enable immediate subdivision of the parcel but could yield a ground‑cover bonus if paired with a voluntary deed restriction making units year‑round and deed‑restricted for workforce housing.

Neighbors and conservation advocates questioned whether the rezoning represented a gradual ‘‘creep’’ toward denser zoning in a largely R20 neighborhood and sought clarity on sewer availability, parking and the overlay district boundaries. The board asked the applicant to return with more specific objectives — whether the goal is additional ground cover only, a deed‑restriction package, or a narrower, measurable outcome — and continued the item to Jan. 30 so staff and the applicant can produce a defined proposal for town meeting.