By Lorna Garey
The Malden City Council on May 5 laid the groundwork for major changes to the city’s commercial landscape by referring to committee ambitious zoning overhauls aimed at revitalizing key corridors and bringing in much needed new revenue.
The meeting opened on a solemn note with two moments of silence, one for a child tragically killed by a falling tree in neighboring Melrose, and another honoring Anthony “Chick” Chiccuarelli, who recently passed away.
“I would like to have a moment of silence for one of my Ward 8 residents and a colleague to all of us,” said Councilor Jadeane Sica. “He was a human resources director for approximately 10 years or so. I’ve known Chick for a lot longer than that, him and his wife, the three kids. It’s just an absolute devastating tragedy.”
Targeting economic development and zoning
A comprehensive economic development package and a targeted Commercial St. zoning analysis were submitted by Mayor Gary Christenson, with support from Councilor Ari Taylor, who leads the Economic Development Committee. Taylor expressed interest in scheduling a special “off-committee meeting night” on May 18 to invite local businesses, community members and the historic commission to discuss the plans and ensure everyone has input.
- Review the full Economic Development Package Proposal
- Review the full Commercial St. Economic/Zoning Analysis
Developed by the city’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, the economic development proposal is designed to streamline permitting and expand the city’s commercial tax base. Christenson praised new Deputy Director for Planning and Economic Development Zachery LeMel’s and Senior Planner Elena Eimert’s work in developing a series of targeted policy changes that he says will make Malden more welcoming for businesses.
“Development controls, instead of being so rigid that they deter the development we want to attract in Malden, should provide clarity and flexibility,” wrote Christenson. “We aim to enable businesses to open and expand in appropriate areas without unnecessary obstacles, adding revenue and job opportunities.”
Pillars of the package include overhauling the city’s demolition delay ordinance by exempting buildings constructed after 1950 and altering sign design reviews to allow for faster approvals. To attract new businesses, the proposal seeks to eliminate off-street parking minimums in Industrial 1 and 2 zones and allow a wider variety of commercial uses — such as medical offices, research and development, and retail — by right.
A near-term goal is to transform the Commercial St. corridor, stretching from the edge of downtown to the Medford border. Currently, this stretch has low value-per-acre property assessments. A consultant helped draft three different overlay concepts for the corridor, which the administration refined into a single recommended proposal called the “Central Business District (CBD) extension into Industrial.” This new zoning would allow hotels and permit residential uses on the upper floors of other commercial or industrial buildings via special permit.
The proposed overlay includes provisions designed to ensure public access to the Malden River, which has seen significant grant-funded improvements. A new definition for “Usable Open Space” dictates that any property abutting the river must provide a 15-foot wide easement reserved for public access and river restoration.
New developments would also be required to devote a minimum of 25% of their lots to usable open space. For parcels that abut the river, this open space must be focused along the river frontage. By making these requirements a condition of development, the river can be transformed into a valuable recreational amenity for the entire city, said Christenson.
Both the Economic Development and Commercial St. proposals were unanimously referred to the Economic Development Committee for study and refinement before moving to the Rules and Ordinance Committee.
Youth mental health and climate anxiety
Representatives from the Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), Laura McNulty and Kathleen O’Brien, presented findings from their 2025 Regional Wellbeing Report. There were 978 respondents from Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Revere and Somerville.
A major focus of their presentation was a worsening mental health crisis across the region.
“More than one in three adults and nearly half of youth are reporting high or very high levels of mental health distress,” said McNulty. That’s often driven by housing and food insecurity and is a natural reaction to anxiety.
O’Brien shared insights from a Malden High School focus group, highlighting student fears surrounding the climate clock. Students conveyed a profound sense of helplessness, she said, telling researchers, “What are we supposed to do? It’s not us who should be acting, right? It should be these large corporations and the people in charge.”
When Councilor Carey McDonald expressed concern over patients’ struggles to simply find available mental health appointments, McNulty highlighted CHA’s Community Behavioral Health Center on Canal St. in Malden, which features a 24-hour urgent care walk-in clinic for adults and youth.
“You do not need an appointment, anyone can walk in whether or not they are a CHA patient, whether or not they have insurance,” said McNulty.
City taps brakes on AI data centers
The Council also unanimously approved a temporary one-year moratorium on the permitting and construction of data centers. The pause will give the Economic Development Committee time to study the infrastructure, environmental and health impacts of large data centers like the one in Lowell that neighbors say is raising their electricity rates and flooding the neighborhood with diesel fumes.
“We currently don’t have any ordinances regarding data centers and their use,” said Taylor, who sponsored the measure. “Being proactive instead of reactive, we put this in place before we have someone come to us with a proposal.”
Council President Amanda Linehan noted that nearby communities had been caught off guard by “oversized or unwelcome proposals” but stressed that the moratorium is about finding the right fit for Malden.
“There are some proposals that could be a great fit for the city, that could help us bring in the revenue that we’re looking for, that could be more in line with infill, and not the larger things that you read about in the news,” Linehan said. She cited academic or healthcare firms that may want to move to the city and need data centers.
McDonald supported the study but emphasized the need to mitigate impacts rather than simply pushing the facilities onto poorer neighborhoods, while Councilor Stephen Winslow pointed out that there are data centers in the city, so definitions will be critical in any final bylaw.
Budget timeline
The Council adjusted its June meeting calendar to accommodate the FY27 city budget public hearing process, which is on a tight timeline. McDonald explained that the Finance Committee mapped out a schedule to allow for a 45-day review period of the Mayor’s proposed budget, aiming for a final vote on June 9.
“The adopted budget will, in fact, include layoffs and position reductions, and the more time we can give to implement those reductions and those really hard changes, the better,” they said.
To facilitate this timeline allow for public input, the Council unanimously approved an order to swap two June meeting dates. June 2 will now be a Committee of the Whole meeting. This allows the Council to conduct the budget public hearing in a format that can be easily televised. McDonald noted the Finance Committee meets earlier in the day, potentially adjourning and reconvening around the public hearing.
June 9 will now be a full City Council meeting, allowing for a final vote on the budget ahead of the fiscal year-end.
Expanding transit with Bluebikes, with no budget impact
The Council authorized the mayor to negotiate and enter into a contract of up to nine years for the regional Bluebikes bike-share program, which the city has hosted for three years. Alex Pratt, director of the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD), reassured the Council that the program relies on state grants, user fees and private sponsorships and will have no impact on the city’s budget.
“We have never spent any City of Malden operating funds on Bluebikes,” said Pratt, adding that the city has an exit clause if grant funding were to dry up. “There was little risk before, there’s much smaller risk now that any operating funds would ever go to this.”
If new stations are needed, there are MassDOT and other grants available.
Winslow praised the program, noting riderships cost just $15 a month and saying use is higher in lower income neighborhoods.
“The Blue Bike program in our region is one of the most successful in the country,” said Winslow. “We talk about affordability, and this is an affordable transportation option.”
Sica sought assurance that the bikes will come at no cost to the city.
“I am totally in support of this paper and this program, as long as it doesn’t cost us $1 from our general fund,” she said.
Significant investments in housing, parks and history
The Council unanimously approved over $1.6 million in Community Preservation Act funding across various housing, historic preservation and open space initiatives.
Housing: The largest allocation, $500,000, was directed to the Malden Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
“This is really important as a foundation of the funding stack, because a lot of the state and federal funding sources look to local funding sources to be in the project first,” said Daniel Koff, Community Preservation Committee staff administrator.
The Council also approved $60,000 for Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) to provide rental assistance to Malden residents facing eviction. This funding can help people get back on their feet. There’s also matching wrap-around support.
“Having engaged with some of the residents in [the Oak Grove fire], having the ability to refer to a program like this was invaluable,” said Linehan.
Historic preservation: The City Clerk’s office received $114,000 to digitize and preserve fragile municipal records, many of which are used daily for genealogical research.
“Handling these documents isn’t safe — they’re brittle, they’re all yellow,” said City Clerk Carol Ann Desiderio, noting some date back over 150 years.
The historic Oliver Street fire station was awarded $100,000 for facade and masonry repairs to make the brick building’s exterior watertight. Sica dispelled rumors about the site.
“It is not being sold, it is not being turned into apartments,” she said. “It’s going to continue to be a shop for our public facilities department.”
The Council additionally granted $122,500 to St. Paul’s Parish for immediate buttress repairs and $250,000 to the First Parish Church for masonry restoration, with strict legal conditions in place ensuring that CPC funds cannot be used for religious purposes.
“This is one of nine buildings in Malden on the National Register for Historic Places,” said Koff of St. Paul’s. “Funding is for restoration of this buttress that is clearly falling apart.”
Open space and recreation: $500,000 was allocated for the Linden Park Restoration Project to redesign and construct new playground facilities, replacing structures that have deteriorated over decades.
“This project would be for restoration of the tot lot and the main playground, both of them, I believe, desperately in need,” said Taylor. “I believe Councilor Sica said that it still has the original mulch.”
CDBG, not to be confused with CBGB
The Council also approved the filing of the proposed FY27 federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) budget of $1.79 million. McDonald noted the money covers dozens of social services programs, debt repayment for Malden River Works and upcoming improvements to the Malden Skate Park and Linden Park. There’s also funding for ADA pedestrian improvements and Section 108 loan repayments.
“We actually know this money is coming,”said McDonald. “We’re very glad for that, and it is level funded for next year as well.”
Legal updates, budgets and announcements
City Solicitor Alicia McNeil informed the Council that she’s asked the Attorney General to dismiss a resident’s Open Meeting Law violation allegations based on a failure to file the complaint within the required 30-day window. She also maintained that executive session minutes were legitimately withheld under attorney-client privilege to protect the city’s ongoing litigation strategies.
McNeil is a fixture at meetings thanks to a steady stream of OML complaints.
A routine consent agenda was passed early in the evening. Paul Myers, who has applied to be the new Director of Public Works, replacing Robert Knox, was referred to the Personnel and Appointments Committee, which will interview the candidate and then refer the matter back to the full Council. The Council also approved 10 local business petitions.
Personal privilege
Winslow reminded residents of the fifth annual Maplewood Fest on Saturday, May 16 featuring local bands, a puppy parade and special food.
McDonald shared that Malden Porch Fest is on May 30, and that there are more bands than there are hosts.
“So if you are able and willing to have some amazing local community musicians in your driveway or on your porch or your backyard or some other property you control, it’s not too late to sign up,” they said.
Councilor Michelle Luong shared that also on May 30, the Malden Lions Club will be doing a mobile eye van at City Hall Plaza from 1 to 5 p.m. There will be eye and blood pressure screenings, with eye screenings available for both adults and young children.
This is a recap of the May 5, 2026 City Council meeting. The full meeting is on YouTube.
The City Council agenda has links to proposal attachments, text of orders, and other documents.
Correction: We stated that Paul Myers’ appointment had been approved. Myers was actually referred to the Personnel and Appointments committee.
Be the first to comment