The Gloucester Planning Commission will hold a public hearing tonight on a rezoning application, requesting that a Hayes parcel be rezoned to include the Business (B-1) zoning designation in addition to the current Village Business (B-2) zoning. The meeting will be held at the colonial courthouse on Main Street, beginning at 7 o’clock.

The applicant, Vernon Soriano, is requesting that 0.3 acre of the 0.867-acre property at 1925 Hayes Road be rezoned from B-1 to B-2 to allow for automotive repair. The existing use of the property is residential.

The owner, Elizabeth Flanary, and Soriano wish to keep the B-2 zoning on the southern 0.53-acre portion of the property since this zoning allows for residential dwellings and they intend to reside there. According to planning and zoning documents, highway businesses (such as auto repair) are not permitted in B-2 and single-family homes are not permitted in B-1.

Surrounding land uses include residential to the west of the property and c...