Norwood Planning Board recommends four citizen zoning petitions return for further study

NORWOOD — April 14, 2026 — Norwood Planning Board reorganizes, recommends all five citizen zoning petitions bypass May vote. The board elected Brian Hatchie as chair, Ernest Patrikowski as vice chair, and Debbie Holmwood as clerk at its April 14 meeting before moving through public hearings on five citizen petitions placed on the warrant for the May 11, 2026 annual town meeting. The board voted 5-0 to recommend that four petitions — covering tandem and mechanical parking restrictions, the rescission of bonus floor provisions in overlay districts, parking space definitions, and the elimination of parking waivers — be referred back to the planning board for further study, with petitioners themselves requesting the referral after town counsel and Town Moderator Jerry Slater advised the articles were too broadly drafted. The board voted 5-0 to recommend against a fifth petition, from Gayla LaDani, which sought to amend Zoning Board of Appeals rules on repetitive applications; Vice Chair Patrikowski said town meeting has no jurisdiction over ZBA internal regulations and the moderator could rule it out of order.