10/12/2026
PLEASE VOTE NO ON ARTICLE 9 ON THE TOWN MEETING WARRANT
ARTICLE 9 is the citizens petition to remove the Brant Rock Overlay district ((BRO) in its entirety.
WE UNDERSTAND the frustration with the recent proposal for development of the vacant land on the Esplanade. We were frustrated too. The proposal was too big, too high and required way too many variances. It correctly got shot down by the Zoning Board of Appeals.
WHO ARE WE? The Board of the Original Brant Rock Village Association, Inc. (OBRVA). We are a neighborhood association of 225 members made up of residents and businesses who are committed to improving life in Brant Rock. Improving the social and economic viability of the Esplanade for residents and visitors is core to our mission.
WE BELIEVE the sponsors of this article are conflating the valid concerns with the now dead proposal with the wording in the zoning bylaw. Our view is that we should fix the most problematic issues with the bylaw, not eliminate it. If there is a concern with the residential density, address it. If there is a concern with plopping down a raised parking garage in the middle of the Esplanade, fix that. Eliminating the BRO district in its entirety will result in the underlying Business District (B4) being the guiding zoning. This B4 zoning would allow for retail and restaurants and single-family homes, but not mixed use buildings.
IF THEY COULD HAVE, THEY WOULD HAVE. This B4 zoning would be a big step backwards for the Esplanade. It is the same zoning that has been in place for decades. The movie theatre and bowling alley burned down in 1973. That's 53 years ago, more than half a century! There has been no material interest in investing in that land for a stand-alone business or single-family home (the allowed uses) for decades. Recognizing this stagnation, in 2014 Town Meeting voters approved the new Brant Rock Overlay district to create an incentive to revitalize the area.
DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE CHANGED. In the 1960's the neighborhoods surrounding the Esplanade were about 70% summer people and 30% year-round residents. Now, sixty years later, it's the exact opposite. Many of us fondly remember the Esplanade from the 1960's with movies, bowling, penny candy, etc. It was a thriving area, but it relied heavily on summer residents and vacationers. Most of the businesses closed up after Labor Day and didn't return until the next spring. The zoning that supported a thriving district in the 1960's does not work in today's environment. We need businesses that will remain open all year round and the economics have to work.
MIXED USE ZONING with retail and restaurants on the first floor and residential units on the second and third floor is a formula that has worked to transform troubled districts throughout the Commonwealth and Nation. It can work here too. This is the best path forward to attract quality development that will improve the neighborhood we all love.
PROTECTING THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD is important to all of us. The BRO zoning specifically gives the Planning Board latitude to ensure any all development is consistent with the look and feel of a New England Coastal Village. The exact language is:
"BRO (2) Architectural details of new construction and proposed reconstruction as well as any additions to existing buildings should be harmonious with the buildings overall architectural style and should preserve and enhance the historic character of Marshfield. The BRO will authorize certain mixed uses within a single building provided such buildings can designed and constructed in a manner that preserves and respects the historic New England architecture of the Brant Rock Village." This language is good and will help protect and likely improve the character of the neighborhood.
IMPORTANTLY, the Overlay district zoning contains a set of rules that require extensive review, public hearings and permitting. This
will ensure the protection of the public's interest.
PLEASE vote No on Article 9 and thank you for taking the time to read this post. We appreciate it.
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