Marlborough committee approves special permit for hospital emergency-department expansion and proposed proton therapy center

The Marlborough City Council Urban Affairs Committee voted June 3 to approve a special permit allowing Marlborough Hospital and UMass Memorial Realty Inc. to expand the hospital emergency department, add a multidisciplinary clinic and pursue a proton therapy center, pending any further required approvals.

The vote clears a special-permit application (Order 25-109418) that, as presented at the meeting, would add about 8,000 square feet to the emergency department, increase treatment rooms from 13 to 27 and support more than $100,000,000 in overall hospital improvements. "There's over a $100,000,000 in improvements to the hospital," Attorney Brian Faulk said during the hearing.

The permit includes standard conditions requiring construction in accordance with city and state building and zoning laws, site-plan review by the city's Site Plan Review Committee before a building permit is issued, stormwater and erosion-control supervision during construction and lighting and landscaping conditions intended to limit off-site impacts. The decision also requires the applicant…