Dover Planning Board Advances Site Plan Review Overhaul Toward Town Meeting Vote

DOVER — April 8, 2026 — Dover Planning Board advances sweeping site plan review overhaul toward a town meeting vote. The board held a nearly four-hour public hearing April 8 on two annual town meeting articles, including a proposal to split site plan review into partial and full tracks and exempt common residential accessory structures — garages under 1,015 square feet, sheds under 1,000 square feet used only for storage, all swimming pools, and sports courts under 1,000 square feet — from planning board review entirely. Board member Jody Hsu praised Dover's record on ADUs, calling the town "unusually ahead of this ball," while public commenters including Jonathan Fryer challenged the bylaw's use of the term "intensification of use" as subjective and warned that no enforceable noise standard exists. The board voted five to zero to continue the public hearing to April 13 and also approved a preliminary site plan review for a 280-square-foot storage shed at 3 Tubwreck Drive, with conditions per the April 2 staff report.