Commission Reverses Denials, Issues Conditions

Conservation Commission · Meeting of October 28, 2026

Peabody's Conservation Commission voted 5-1 to lift its earlier denials and approve amended local conditions for two adjacent redevelopment projects at 0 Aborn Street and 21 Pleasant Street, after the state Department of Environmental Protection overrode the board's objections. Chairman Michael Rizzo and commissioners added conditions requiring an arborist review before any tree removal, a "berry-bearing shrub" requested by Commissioner Leslie Kortemange, and a permanent ban on habitable space on the ground floor of the converted garage at 21 Pleasant Street. Attorney Aidan Church represented applicant MARE Holdings LLC.

Neighbor Lolly Deserto of Shaw's Lane said a recent storm cost her "$30,000" in basement repairs, while Commissioner Amanda Green told residents the board "completely understand[s] everything that the neighbors are going to be facing." Kortemange cast the lone dissenting vote on both final motions.

In the full story:

• Background: A Case Remanded From Superior Court
• DEP's Superseding Orders and the Revised Mitigation Plan
• 0 Aborn Street: Tree Replacement and Mitigation Conditions
• 21 Pleasant Street: Habitable-Space Restriction and Driveway Detail
• Public Comment: Neighbors Describe Chronic Flooding
• Procedural Steps and Final Votes
• Implications and What Is Next
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,101 words

Source: the Conservation Commission meeting of October 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.