Hadley board reviews draft Route 9 housing district

Planning Board · Meeting of June 2, 2026

HADLEY — The Hadley Planning Board reviewed a draft 40R Smart Growth Overlay District bylaw for Route 9 and continued the discussion to July 7. Member Joseph Zgrodnik questioned why the zoning change would need only a simple majority vote at town meeting instead of the usual two-thirds, telling Pioneer Valley Planning Commission staff "it seems that the local boards are being shunted aside for the will of the legislature." The draft requires 20 percent of units built in the district to be affordable, double the town's existing 10 percent safe-harbor threshold. The board also voted 5-0 to approve a 15-panel solar array at 27 East Hadley Road and voted 5-0 to send a letter supporting a Department of Public Works grant application to replace the town's water tanks.

The meeting marked Land Use Coordinator Kayla Loubriel's final session before her resignation.

In the full story:

• Board Reorganization and Staff Transition
• Draft 40R Smart Growth Overlay District: Background and Stakes
• Smart Growth Steering Committee Business
• PVPC Update: Flood Maps, Battery Storage, and Payment-in-Lieu
• Administrative Review: Solar Array, 27 East Hadley Road
• Letter of Support: Water Tank Replacement Grant
• Other Business and Adjournment
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,469 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of June 2, 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.