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Planning board approves Valvoline site plan over neighbor safety objections
Summary
The Southborough Planning Board on May 12 approved a minor site plan for a Valvoline instant oil change at 361 Turnpike Road by a 3–2 vote despite strong neighborhood objections about shifting vehicle access onto narrow Flag Road and MassDOT’s refusal to allow new curb cuts on Route 9.
The Southborough Planning Board on May 12 approved a minor site plan for a Valvoline instant oil change at 361 Turnpike Road, despite sustained public concern that the proposed access onto Flag Road will shift traffic and safety risks onto a narrow scenic road.
The five‑member board voted 3–2 to approve the plan with conditions. Chair Suzanne Luttrell, Planning Board member Jesse Stein and member John Rasio voted in favor; members Julianne Lehan and (last name recorded as) Demiria voted no.
The vote followed engineering and traffic discussion about possible driveway locations and a clear statement from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation — as reported to the board — that "they would not approve any curb cuts on Route 9," a point the applicant and planning staff said left Flag Road as the only practical access option. Vito Colonna of Cornerstone Engineering, the applicant's engineer, told the board that…
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