Planning Board conditionally approves Bridal Holdings expansion at 391 Loudoun Road

The Concord City Planning Board granted conditional approval on March 19 to Bridal Holdings, LLC for a phased redevelopment at 391 Loudoun Road that includes an eventual 8,250‑square‑foot building addition, reconfigured outdoor storage and circulation improvements.

Board members approved architectural design review, multiple waivers and two conditional‑use permits — one to allow construction of fewer parking spaces than the zoning standard and another to permit limited disturbance of a wetland buffer for a drainage/driveway solution. Staff recommended approval subject to precedent and subsequent conditions. The board added conditions requiring revegetation of previously disturbed areas, additional snow‑storage areas outside wetland buffers, and truck‑turning templates before final sign‑off.

Why it matters: The site sits near wetlands and currently has extensive gravel and outdoor storage; the project will introduce stormwater infrastructure (infiltration pond, rain gardens) and a phased approach to reconstructing a private road (Break O'Day Drive). Staff and the Conservation Commission asked for native plantings and measures to reduce silt entering the wetland. During public discussion, board members pressed the applicant on snow storage, silt control for catch basins in the public right‑of‑way, and truck maneuvering for heavy equipment deliveries.

What the board required: The planning board’s approval included these key precedent conditions before final plan endorsement: a note to revegetate previously disturbed areas outside proposed storage, additional on‑site snow storage outside wetland buffers or an O&M plan for trucking snow off‑site, and a truck‑turning plan showing left‑in/left‑out/right‑in/right‑out movements for large commercial vehicles at the Break O'Day/Loudoun Road intersection. The board also required a cost estimate and payment‑in‑lieu for sidewalks on portions of Break O'Day Drive and Loudoun Road that the applicant is not building immediately.

Applicant remarks: Brent Cole of Grama/Granite Engineering said the plan would restore portions of the wetland buffer, add an infiltration basin and rain gardens, and reorganize outdoor storage to improve safety and aesthetics. The applicant agreed to provide the truck‑turning templates and an operation and maintenance manual for the stormwater features.

Next steps: The applicant must satisfy precedent conditions — including the truck turning plan review, the revegetation note and sidewalk in‑lieu payment — before the planning department issues final approvals and permits. The board’s action allows the applicant to proceed into phased permitting once those items are resolved.

Ending: Board members said the plan is an improvement over current site conditions but emphasized ongoing enforcement and maintenance to protect the adjacent wetland and downstream drainage.