Zoning Board of Appeals

The board opened with a continued hearing for 253 Main Street (Special Permit and Variance). The applicant clarified the ADU was removed from the submitted plans but had not provided a lot line/setback plan required under Section XI.K1; the Board asked for revised plans showing setbacks and continued the hearing to the July 23, 2026 meeting.

The second, lengthier continued public hearing addressed the 27 Kimball Road Comprehensive Permit (40B). City counsel explained when a pro forma (financial) peer review is appropriate; peer reviews for civil/traffic were underway and memos were expected in July. The applicant presented revised plans that reduced density (from 95 to 86 units), buildings (51 to 45), bedrooms (154 to 141), and parking (174 to 146), increased open space (49% to 56%), pulled buildings back from property lines, reduced retaining wall heights, added landscape buffers and trees, reconfigured the entrance boulevard, and made architectural and circulation changes. Board members and the public raised concerns about snow storage/removal, guest parking management, potential bus access and sidewalks to Route 110, lighting and dark‑sky compliance, wastewater holding tank and generator locations, and storage/space in units. The applicant said the site will be professionally property‑managed and that peer review will address technical items. The Board requested a stake‑out site visit before the July 23 meeting and voted to request a written memo from DPW and the Mayor’s Office clarifying whether Kimball Road is an accepted city way. The hearing was continued to July 23, 2026.