Home / Meetings /May 18, 2026

Zoning Board of Appeals · May 18, 2026 · 7:00 PM

Zoning Board of Appeals

Continued Chapter 40B public hearing for 27 Kimball Road: the ZBA selected BSC to perform civil, environmental, and traffic peer reviews and unanimously approved soliciting bids for an independent urban design peer review.

occurred Agenda PDF Minutes Video recording AI Summary

Key decisions

Select BSC to perform peer review for civil, environmental, and traffic scopes for the 27 Kimball Road Comprehensive Permit

Approved 4-1

Approve scope of work for an independent urban design peer review and instruct staff to seek bids

Approved 5-0

AI SUMMARY · DRAWN FROM THE MINUTES

The Zoning Board continued its public hearing on the Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit application for 27 Kimball Road. The principal actions during the meeting were selection of peer review resources: the Board voted to retain BSC for civil, environmental, and traffic peer review (approved 4-1) and unanimously approved a scope of work for an independent urban design peer review, directing staff to seek bids. Board members debated whether to hire a single firm for all scopes to obtain a holistic review or split scopes among multiple firms to obtain varied perspectives; discussion noted strengths of several firms (BSC, Stantec, Weston & Sampson) and particular interest in hydrology expertise from Stantec.

Members of the public raised concerns about traffic and safety on Kimball Road, submitting written comments and asking the Board to commission a wholly new Traffic Impact and Access Study (TIAS), arguing the submitted December 2025 counts understate current conditions; abutters also questioned the accuracy of the existing TIAS and urged comprehensive review including mitigation recommendations. The applicant reported plans to submit revised design materials by June 1, 2026, indicated responses to comments from city departments are in progress, noted an ANRAD/ORAD for wetlands has been completed, and confirmed a signed extension to allow the hearing to remain open. The Board scheduled peer review work to proceed on submitted revisions and plans to review updated materials at its next meeting.

Generated by an LLM. Verify against the official record before quoting.

Points of interest

Extensive public comments demanding deeper traffic and impact studies

Extensive public comments demanding deeper traffic and impact studies

PUBLIC COMMENT

0:03:19–0:11:23 ▶ Watch

Staff read two written public comments expressing detailed concerns about the project's traffic analysis and wider impacts (traffic safety, water supply, noise, light, construction impacts) and requesting additional independent studies; a nearby resident also spoke at the podium reiterating traffic study concerns and promising more technical input from the neighborhood group.

Board debate and vote to select one firm for all peer reviews

Board debate and vote to select one firm for all peer reviews

DEBATE

0:11:27–0:34:28 ▶ Watch

Board members debated whether to hire a single firm or separate specialists for peer review, discussed pros/cons of local experience versus outside perspective, and ultimately voted to retain one firm to perform all peer reviews.

Applicant update on revised plans, site walk, wetlands ORAD, and timeline extension

Applicant update on revised plans, site walk, wetlands ORAD, and timeline extension

PRESENTATION

0:36:05–0:41:34 ▶ Watch

Applicant representatives updated the board on project revisions and schedule: they aim to resubmit revised plans by June 1, seek a site walk the week of June 8, expect peer reviewers to begin review of the June 1 submission, noted wetlands delineation approval, and confirmed a 30‑day extension of the 40B review deadline to October 1.

Motions & votes

AI-generated summaries of each motion's substance — not the official record. Verify against the meeting minutes or video before quoting.

@ 0:24:40 · OTHER

Approved 4-1

I move that we adopt a selection process by firm rather than individual, and that firm be BSC.

UNDER · Continued Hearings · 1. 27 Kimball Road – Comprehensive Permit

@ 0:34:38 · OTHER

Approved 4-0

I would like to make a motion that we ask staff to seek bids for this scope of work.

UNDER · Motion: ask staff to seek bids for scope of work

@ 0:41:48 · CONTINUE

Approved 5-0

So the last motion for tonight is to continue this meeting to June 15th.

UNDER · Continued Hearings · 1. 27 Kimball Road – Comprehensive Permit

@ 0:43:03 · OTHER

Approved 5-0

Do I have a motion to adjourn the meeting of May 18th, 2026, ZBA?

UNDER · Motion: adjourn