Greenfield Planning Board Unanimously Initiates Dover Amendment Zoning Clarification

Planning Board · Meeting of July 2, 2026

Greenfield Planning Board votes unanimously to initiate a Dover Amendment zoning clarification while debating a proposed data center moratorium. The board voted 5-0 Thursday to formally begin the amendment process for a draft ordinance — developed by Director of Planning and Development Ella Wise and modeled on the Springfield Zoning Code — that would define the Dover Amendment under M.G.L. Chapter 40A, Section 3, establish a new "Educational, Religious, and Charitable Uses" category in the use table, and subject Dover-protected uses to a modified site plan review.

ZBA Chair David Singer, who recommended the clarification at the board's May meeting, called the draft "exactly what I envisioned." Separately, City Councilor Sarah Bolduc presented a proposed 360-day moratorium on new data center construction and a companion draft ordinance creating a three-tier electrical demand classification system, prompting a two-hour discussion in which Vice Chair Robin Borgestedt questioned whether singling out data centers was appropriate given existing special permit standards, while members including Sarah Brown-Hanson said she "would not be averse to a moratorium to give time to do this well." The board took no formal action on the moratorium but agreed Bolduc should bring revised, non-zoning-amendment language directly to City Council, with the Planning Board to separately draft definitions and performance standards. The board's next meeting is August 6, 2026.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,183 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of July 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.