Joint City Council & Planning Board Public Hearing April 6, 2026

The City of Gardner, Massachusetts, held a joint public hearing on April 6, 2026, involving the City Council and Planning Board to discuss a proposed amendment to the city's zoning code, specifically chapter 675. The amendment aims to remove the signage regulations from the zoning code and place them into the general city ordinance to streamline the process for business signage approvals. This change is intended to reduce delays and costs for businesses seeking signage permits, thereby encouraging business growth and economic development in Gardner. The discussion highlighted challenges businesses faced under the current zoning regulations, including outdated sign dimension restrictions and lengthy approval processes that hindered signage installation and business visibility. The ordinance change would still require public input through the legislative process but is expected to allow more timely updates and greater flexibility for signage regulations. No formal vote was recorded in the transcript, but the hearing was closed after public comments supporting the amendment.