Southborough planning board grants covenant extension for Chestnut Meadows subdivision through April 30, 2026

The Town of Southborough Planning Board voted unanimously Monday to grant a covenant extension for the Chestnut Meadows subdivision through April 30, 2026.

The extension covers outstanding site work for the 12-lot Chestnut Meadows subdivision off Chestnut Hill Road, where developers say most houses are built and final paving and sidewalks remain. Corina, a planning department staff member, told the board the developer submitted a letter requesting an extension to 04/30/2026 and that the draft filed with the town clerk counts the extension from 2024, effectively making it a two-year extension on record.

The board’s action follows staff inspections and consultant oversight during construction. Corina said the town’s construction-phase consultant, Fuss & O’Neill (reported in the meeting as “Fassen O’Neil”), provided milestone inspections and reports that were shared with the developer. She also said the developer provided documentation of an annual bond renewal and that a prior bond reduction had occurred sometime earlier.

Bruce Wheeler, representative of Chestnut Meadow Realty Trust, told the board he expects about six to eight more months of work before filing for road acceptance. Wheeler confirmed the developer installed permanent bounds to mark open-space boundaries and is completing outstanding erosion- and conservation-related items; he said the last lot is in the process of receiving a certificate of compliance.

Board members pressed about open-space monitoring items flagged in a June 2022 consultant report, including deed references, marking of open-space boundaries, erosion controls, invasive-vegetation management, and owner notification. Corina and Bob Torsha (a consultant working with the developer) told the board they reviewed deeds for sample houses and found references to the open-space easement; that granite bounds were placed where direction changes occur along the open-space lines; that erosion controls and certificates of compliance are nearly complete; and that invasive-plant management remains under the conservation commission’s purview.

After discussion, a planning board member moved to grant the covenant extension to 04/30/2026; another member seconded the motion. The board voted, calling members by name: Lottrell, yes; Louhan, yes; Demeria, yes; Bracio, yes; Vilnjak, yes. The motion passed. Corina said the board will sign the extension document and the planning office will file it with the town clerk; Wheeler was advised to record the signed extension at the registry of deeds.

Wheeler thanked town staff, saying this was the developer’s first Southborough project and that town officials and staff were “incredibly helpful.” The board noted that once the remaining items are completed and an as-built review is accepted, the developer may proceed toward a road-acceptance application.