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The Housing Committee voted unanimously Jan. 13 to recommend that the Select Board prioritize housing development at the former Coffin School site, advancing a months-long debate that has included multiple public meetings but left some neighbors frustrated over email notifications and transparency.

The 6-0 vote came after residents spoke during the committee’s monthly meeting to voice concerns over missed meeting alerts, access to information and fears that any future development could balloon beyond the two- to three-story scale the committee outlined in its letter to selectmen.

The decision marks the committee’s formal stance on the 3-acre Turner Road parcel, where town officials received competing proposals last fall ranging from affordable housing to cemetery expansion and battery storage. The town held a community listening session in November and has conducted outreach to abutters, though Harborlight Homes submitted the only formal development plan — a 40-unit apartment complex. No request for proposals has been issued and the Select Board retains final authority over the site’s future.

“The Marblehead housing committee recommends that the Select Board prioritize housing development for the coffin school site,” committee chair Brendan Callahan said, reading from the draft letter. “After reviewing community input from public meetings, the town’s housing production plan priorities and current housing needs, we believe housing development represents the highest and best use of this publicly owned asset.”

The letter calls for development that “expands fair and affordable housing opportunities for marble headers across different life stages while respecting the surrounding single family neighborhood character.” It recommends maximum allowable local preference for Marblehead residents, incorporation of public open space, historic preservation of the 1948 brick building and housing diversity to serve seniors, young families and municipal employees.

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Neighbors cite notification problems

But several abutters said they had not received email notifications about Housing Committee meetings despite repeated requests and only learned of the Jan. 13 session through social media.

“I don’t quite understand why I’m not getting emails,” said Steve Elliot of Turner Road. “I know I’ve mentioned this to you before at the public meetings. I get them from the board. Oh, please — I get them for the police department, the Council on Aging, but I never get one.”

Elliot said he and at least two neighbors received notice of an earlier meeting two days after it occurred. Claudette Mason of Susan Road, a direct abutter, echoed the complaint.

“Much like the gentleman who spoke earlier, I also have asked several times to receive emails in regards to or notices about any meetings that have to do at the coffin school, and we have not been receiving them either,” Mason said.

Callahan said residents would need to sign up specifically for Housing Committee alerts and acknowledged the town’s website has not been updated with recent meeting minutes. He offered to email approved minutes to residents who request them and noted the Coffin School has been a recurring agenda item since at least October.

“This has been a recurring agenda item since September,” Callahan said. “It was the meeting was posted on the website. This meeting itself is a recurring meeting, second Tuesday of the month, at 330.”

The notification issues fueled broader anxieties about the development process. Michael Bliss of Turner Road warned the committee risked handing a “blank check” to developers who could later seek variances to increase density or building height.

“My concern is that you have one thing that’s being pushed that none of us know what damn thing about,” Bliss said. “You’re just telling us as it’s already been voted on and already been passed of what’s going to go on. The fact of the matter is, you don’t have a backup plan.”

Committee member Senior Deacon John E. “Joe” Whipple pushed back, emphasizing the letter specifically recommends two- to three-story development and that the Select Board — not the Housing Committee — will issue any request for proposals and evaluate responses.

“If they come up with something else, that’s not what we’re suggesting,” Whipple said. “We need to be clear on that.”

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Officials stress process still in early stages

Callahan stressed the town has not begun drafting an RFP, created design scenarios or selected a developer. He said the committee’s letter represents a policy recommendation, not a binding commitment, and that additional community engagement meetings will occur before any RFP is issued.

“We’re about as far as we were at the last community meeting,” Callahan said when asked about specific plans. “We haven’t started anything.”

Select Board member Dan Fox, attending as an observer, clarified the board has not deliberated on the Coffin School and will solicit extensive public input before any action.

“We’ve had three meetings on this,” Fox said. “The Select Board‘s just been listening. We have not discussed it amongst ourselves. We have not had deliberations or any decisions.”

Jen Schaeffner, chair of the Marblehead Housing Authority, urged officials to hold additional meetings to explain the disposition process and address neighbor concerns.

“I think it’s important to note that in 2025 we did vote at Town Meeting to give the Select Board the power to dispose of this property,” Schaeffner said. “That was a warrant article last year, town meeting. That’s what town meeting chose to do.”

Kurt James, a committee member who works on municipal development agreements, said the town would not convey the property until a developer secures all permits, financing and an acceptable design.

“These agreements are very strong and very enforceable, and I think that with confidence that we can enter in an agreement with a developer that everyone will get comfortable with,” James said.

Resident describes urgent need for senior housing

One resident advocating for senior housing described urgent need among older Marblehead residents priced out of the rental market. A person who works for the Council on Aging and asked that her last name not be used, said she has five homeless seniors on her caseload.

“I have right now, five homeless seniors in Marblehead on my caseload, homeless as in, one is living in his van,” the employee said. “One’s living in his jeep. There’s a woman that’s couch surfing, and two others will be homeless by the end of the month.”

The committee also received an update on the town’s MBTA Communities Act compliance effort. Callahan said the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities sent a letter Jan. 8 outlining six technical issues with Marblehead’s proposed multifamily zoning district, which is centered largely on Tedesco Country Club.

“Overall, we feel it was a positive response to the proposed districts,” Callahan said. “They had several technical comments that were meet, that will be meeting with the consultant tomorrow to discuss and work to address but we don’t feel that any of the comments were, you know, a deal breaker.”

Marblehead lost compliance in July 2025 when voters repealed an earlier MBTA overlay district via referendum, rendering the town ineligible for certain state grants. Officials hope to place revised zoning language on the May 2026 town meeting warrant.

The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 10 at 3:30 p.m.

Linda Belanger, a former Coffin School student, urged officials to locate and preserve a time capsule buried by children at the flagpole in 1976 before any redevelopment proceeds.

“I want to make sure that the time capsule by the flagpole gets taken out before the 400th anniversary,” Belanger said. “This time capsule should have been, was scheduled to be dug up at the 250th and was never done, and this should be before you take any action on that property be dug up and brought up.“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​