Downtown committee charts 2026 improvements and tourism initiatives
Downtown Improvement Committee advances zoning push ahead of spring town meeting. Chair Steven Carhart and members Gar Morse, Paige Journey, Linda Crosby, and Kurt Svetaka heard Planning Board confirmation that the downtown zoning proposal is nearly complete and will be jointly previewed with the
Downtown Improvement Committee · Meeting of January 21, 2026
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA — Downtown Improvement Committee advances zoning push ahead of spring town meeting. Chair Steven Carhart and members Gar Morse, Paige Journey, Linda Crosby, and Kurt Svetaka heard Planning Board confirmation that the downtown zoning proposal is nearly complete and will be jointly previewed with the Select Board on January 26, with articles including provisions to allow inns limited to 12 guest rooms in downtown districts. The committee approved prior meeting minutes unanimously and began organizing a volunteer business improvement district for the 2026 tourist season, addressing downtown signage, parking, and restroom availability while several new businesses move into downtown spaces.
Kurt Svetaka raised concerns about the Pine, Central, Bennett, and Bridge Street intersection, with the DPW confirming that a planned traffic study has not yet been funded.
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Source: the Downtown Improvement Committee meeting of January 21, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
Members read the rest of this story and every Manchester-by-the-Sea meeting we cover, in full.
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