Wenham Planning Board Adopts Federal Stormwater Rules, Hears Penguin Hall Housing Pitch

WENHAM -- April 8, 2026, Wenham Planning Board adopts federal stormwater rules and hears first public look at Penguin Hall redevelopment. The board voted unanimously April 8 to adopt new construction and post-construction stormwater management regulations, satisfying a compliance requirement under the EPA's MS-4 permit tied to the federal Clean Water Act. Environmental consultant Tim DiGigliano of Weston and Sampson, joining by Zoom, described the rules as capturing projects that disturb more than one acre and requiring developers to evaluate low-impact design approaches. In the meeting's most substantial discussion, Matt D'Amico of Cabot Cabot and Forbes outlined a conceptual plan for 66 age-restricted homes plus restoration of the historic manor house at the former Penguin Hall property at 62 Essex Street, estimating gross new annual tax revenue of more than $1 million once the project stabilizes. The property, off the tax rolls for years as an academic institution, sits within the Independent Living Overlay District, which allows up to 252 units on the site. The bankruptcy court sale order remains pending. The board also endorsed an approval-not-required plan separating 20 acres of the Streeter property from 97.5 acres to be protected by a conservation restriction by Essex County Greenbelt Association.