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Riverside Landing approved to host a small commissary; parking limited to five spaces
Summary
The planning board approved an amendment allowing an existing commercial kitchen at Riverside Landing to be used as a commissary for a local coffee shop, with a condition limiting on‑site commissary parking to no more than five flex spaces and prohibiting overnight parking for commissary vehicles.
The Bedford Planning Board on May 5 granted a site plan amendment to allow an existing commercial kitchen at Riverside Landing, 66 Hawthorne Drive, to operate as a commissary for a local coffee shop.
Michael Lefavor, a member of Draco Properties LLC, told the board the apartment project on the former Bentley Commons has stabilized — “we are about 97% occupied right now” — and the developer has implemented a parking‑management plan. Lefavor said the commissary would operate mainly during daytime hours and would reserve a small number of flex parking spaces for staff and deliveries. The applicant agreed to restrict overnight vehicle parking by commissary staff.
Staff recommended no more than five on‑site spaces for the commissary; the board adopted that limit as part of its approval. The board had previously approved parking waivers for the multifamily development; this amendment incorporated commissary parking into the management plan.
Why it matters: The amendment repurposes an existing, under‑used commercial kitchen to serve local food businesses without new construction, but the change requires operational controls (hours and assigned flex spaces) to avoid parking conflicts at a fully occupied residential property.
What happens next: The applicant will amend its parking management plan on file with the town to show the five designated commissary spaces and complete the staff‑listed conditions before plan endorsement.
