Planning board favors citywide zoning amendment to streamline outdoor dining

WOBURN, Mass. — The Woburn City Planning Board voted 7-0 April 8 to forward a zoning-text amendment to the City Council that would establish a citywide procedure for restaurants to seek approval for outdoor dining, require site-plan amendments for some uses and preserve departmental review for public-safety and accessibility concerns.

Councilor Joe Demers (Ward 4), who filed the amendment, told the board he sought “a streamlined approach for outdoor dining” so that locations outside downtown could seek comparable accommodations introduced during the COVID pandemic. “I filed this zoning amendment … to get more of a streamlined approach for outdoor dining,” Demers said.

The proposed text would allow any restaurant that is not already providing outdoor seating to apply for a site-plan amendment under Section 11.12. Fast-food establishments already approved with site plans showing outdoor seating would be exempt from that requirement, the draft says. The board’s discussion focused on pedestrian circulation, maintenance, hours of operation, ADA access and the practicalities of policing litter and safety.

Board members and staff pressed for specifics. Several members stressed pedestrian flow on narrow downtown sidewalks and said department heads — including DPW, police, fire and the building commissioner — should review proposals to ensure safety. “If they found that it was an unsafe area, they didn't think there was enough room … Then we would deny it due to specific reasons,” Lou DeBambro (City Council, Ward 6) said, describing how the council could condition permits by location and applicant.

Demers and other participants described a downtown pilot parklet planned for Church Avenue that will be 32 feet by roughly 6 feet and protected from vehicles; the administration has worked with DPW, police and fire on safety checks for that pilot. Several board members also raised the need to address litter and which party (property owner, vendor or city) would be responsible for daily maintenance of outdoor seating areas and public trash receptacles.

An attorney for Madison Woburn LLC, which owns Woburn Landing, urged prompt adoption so restaurants that already show outdoor seating on approved site plans could use those spaces. “We’re hoping that this ordinance gets adopted so that that outdoor seating … can be used,” Joseph Tabby said, adding that building-inspection reviews would still verify accessibility and plumbing for increased patron counts.

The board closed the public hearing on the amendment by voice vote (motion by Claudia; second by Carolyn; 7–0) and then voted to send a favorable recommendation to the City Council (motion by Claudia; second by Dave; 7–0). The City Council will receive the text and may refine definitions, hours, district-specific rules and other language before final action.

The draft ordinance leaves several procedural points for the council to resolve, including whether permits will require annual reauthorization, how “restaurant fast food” is defined in all cases (the draft ties that category to service style and common V.I.C. license types), and whether a separate municipal process should be used for parklets that occupy public parking spaces. The planning board recommended forwarding the draft as a policy concept while leaving exact language and detailed criteria to the council for finalization.

Votes at a glance

- Close public hearing on zoning-text amendment, outdoor dining: Motion by Claudia; second by Carolyn. Vote: 7–0, carries. - Send favorable recommendation to City Council on zoning-text amendment, outdoor dining: Motion by Claudia; second by Dave. Vote: 7–0, carries.

No calendar or deadline for City Council action was specified during the meeting.