Council exempts duplexes from site plan review

Select Board · Meeting of May 21, 2026

NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton City Council voted 7-2 to exempt two-family homes from mandatory site plan review, cutting the public hearing and abutter notification process for most duplex construction. Councilor Marissa Loiselle, who sponsored the change, called it "an equity issue," arguing the city is "so monofocused" on single-family homes that bypass similar review. Councilors Daniel Robbins and Jeffrey Stratton dissented, with Stratton warning residents would be left "polling the LaserFish folder" to track new permits near their homes.

The same meeting saw the council adopt, 8-1, six ordinances implementing a roughly $1.2 million Elm Street safety redesign near Northampton High School, and hear Mayor Shara's proposed $152,532,527 fiscal 2027 budget, which draws $1,940,348 from reserves and avoids an override this year, though the mayor said one will likely be needed for fiscal 2028.

In the full story:

• The Full Story
• [03:03:51] — Councilor Marissa Loiselle
• [02:24:24] — Councilor Jeffrey Stratton
• [01:10:12] — Mayor Shara
• Why It Matters
• Key Motions & Votes
• Source
• Northampton's community access TV: Select Board meeting, May 21, 2026
• The complete report: 933 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of May 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.