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Council schedules site visit after concerns about Tesla supercharger placement at 425 Washington St.
Summary
Tesla presented plans for 12 fast-charge posts and associated equipment at 425 Washington Street. Councilors and the building inspector raised issues about setbacks, proximity to residential buffers, parking impacts and signage; a site visit was scheduled before the committee reconvenes.
WOBURN — Tesla representatives briefed the committee on a special permit application to install a Tesla Supercharger station at 425 Washington Street, proposing three supercharger cabinet enclosures, 12 DC fast-charge posts and associated utility equipment.
Tesla design manager Mendo Verbi said the company placed the proposed charge posts along the perimeter of the shopping-center parking to avoid interior parking conflicts, snow-plow damage to posts, and to meet dimensional requirements. Verbi said a registered survey and title-lot work were completed to confirm property lines and setbacks; the design team located support equipment in a landscaped corner to maximize distance from nearby residences.
Council and inspector concerns: Councilors and the building inspector referenced a memo from Inspector Quinn noting initial plans placed equipment closer to a recently installed residential fence. Concerns raised included whether the posts and supporting transformer would be within required setbacks and the 50-foot residential buffer; the height and visibility of equipment; and how signage or marking of EV stalls would affect general parking availability during busy periods.
Parking and accessibility: Tesla said the plan yields a net loss of one parking stall overall, primarily to accommodate an ADA van-accessible space required by the proposal. Verbi confirmed the proposal intends to place chargers where patrons are less likely to occupy prime stalls and discussed coordination with the site landlord (Kimco) on stall leases.
Next steps: Committee members requested a site visit with Tesla and inspector Quinn before the next committee meeting and asked staff to map the 50-foot residential buffer and front setbacks on a parcel-level survey. The petitioner and inspector agreed to meet the committee on the scheduled committee date (the eighteenth) to walk the site and resolve the mapping and setback concerns prior to any final vote.
