Stoneham Square Improvement Project, Vacant Storefront Initiative, and Town Code Modernization

Yesterday, the Stoneham Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Town of Stoneham, hosted an update and discussion on three important initiatives designed to strengthen Stoneham’s business community and to support vibrant and thriving business districts.

The program highlighted the Stoneham Square Improvement Project, the proposed Vacant Storefront Program, and the Town’s Zoning Modernization Initiative—all projects led and overseen by Erin Wortman, Stoneham’s Director of Planning and Community Development. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about each initiative, ask questions, share feedback, and discuss how these efforts will improve the business environment, encourage investment, and help shape the future of downtown Stoneham.

Below is a brief overview of each initiative, along with links to the presentations shared during the program. We encourage you to explore these resources to learn more about the projects and their potential benefits for Stoneham’s businesses, residents, and visitors.

Stoneham Square Improvement Project

The Stoneham Square Improvement Project is a major investment in the future of downtown Stoneham designed to make the Square safer, more accessible, more attractive, and better suited to support local businesses and economic growth.

Made possible through a $4 million MassWorks Infrastructure Grant, the project includes major infrastructure upgrades and will improve the appearance and functionality of the downtown for residents and visitors alike.

Major Improvements

• New sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps, and ADA accessibility upgrades.
• Streetscape enhancements, including landscaping, trees, lighting, benches, and other public amenities.
• Traffic and intersection improvements to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
• Utility and drainage upgrades completed beneath the roadway while reconstruction is underway.
• Better connections between businesses, the Town Common, and public parking.

>>View the presentation here.

>>Learn more about the project here.

The proposed Vacant Storefront Bylaw is a local initiative designed to better understand and address long-term commercial vacancies in Stoneham’s business districts. If adopted, the bylaw would:

• Create a registry of vacant commercial storefronts.
• Require property owners to register storefronts that remain vacant beyond a specified period.
• Require owners to submit periodic reports documenting efforts to lease or occupy the property, including marketing activities, prospective tenants, and barriers to occupancy.
• Establish minimum maintenance standards for vacant storefronts to ensure they remain safe and attractive.
• Allow the Town to collect data on vacancies, identify trends, and better target economic development efforts.
• Include enforcement provisions, including fines for property owners who fail to register vacant properties or submit the required reports—not simply because a storefront is vacant.

The next step is finalizing the bylaw language and bringing it before Town Meeting or consideration likely in October.

>>View the presentation here.

Town Code Zoning Modernization

The proposed zoning recodification is intended to modernize Stoneham’s zoning bylaws, making them easier to understand, more consistent, and better aligned with today’s planning and development goals. While the document reorganizes much of the existing code, it also includes several substantive policy changes. Highlights include:

Simplified Zoning Map

The proposal reduces the number of zoning and overlay districts from 21 to 12, eliminating redundant districts and creating a clearer, more logical zoning map. Commercial districts and major corridors have been reorganized to better support appropriate growth and redevelopment.

Clearer Definitions and Use Regulations

Definitions throughout the zoning code have been updated to reflect current state law, remove outdated terminology, and provide greater clarity about permitted land uses. The proposal also introduces a comprehensive use table, making it easier to determine what uses are allowed in each zoning district.

Streamlined Dimensional Standards

Current dimensional requirements have accumulated numerous exceptions and footnotes over the years. The recodification consolidates these into simpler, more consistent standards that are easier for property owners and developers to understand while addressing common issues that frequently require zoning relief.

Updated Sign Regulations

The proposal reorganizes sign regulations into a more user-friendly format, removes unnecessary provisions, and adds new sign types such as blade signs, which project from buildings and are designed to improve visibility for pedestrians in business districts.

Faster, More Efficient Permitting

One of the primary goals is to reduce unnecessary layers of review. In many cases, projects that currently require both a Special Permit and Site Plan Review would no longer need duplicate approvals, helping businesses and property owners move projects forward more efficiently while maintaining appropriate oversight.

Elimination of Split-Lot Zoning

The proposal removes situations where a single property falls into multiple zoning districts. This change is intended to simplify development and reduce confusion for property owners by ensuring each parcel is governed by one zoning district whenever possible. It also proposes transferring Site Plan Review authority from the Select Board to the Planning Board, which is the more typical practice in Massachusetts municipalities.

Changes to Affordable Housing Fee Calculations

The proposal updates how the “fee-in-lieu” option is calculated for certain homeownership developments subject to inclusionary zoning. Instead of using a percentage of average home sale prices, the fee would be based on the difference between the cost of constructing affordable units and their market value, creating a stronger incentive to build affordable housing on-site.

This initiative will likely come before Town Meeting in the spring of 2027 for consideration.

>> View the proposed map here.

>>Read the full proposed Town Code zoning document here.*

*Please note that these draft documents are still under review and may be revised before they are presented for consideration by Town Meeting.