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Planning board clears Riverside Landing commissary kitchen for limited use with parking cap
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Summary
Draco Properties won approval to use an existing commercial kitchen in the Riverside Landing building as a commissary for a local coffee shop, subject to a cap on dedicated commissary parking spaces and other conditions; the board approved a parking waiver to accommodate the change.
The Bedford Planning Board approved an amendment to the Riverside Landing site plan to allow the existing commercial kitchen at 66 Hawthorne Drive to be used as a commissary supporting a local coffee business.
Michael Lefavor of Draco Properties told the board the 85‑unit, converted housing development is fully leased and the property manager has successfully implemented a parking management plan and snow management program. He asked the board to allow the commissary to use up to five of the site’s flex parking spaces during daytime hours (roughly 5 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and to permit limited deliveries to a loading dock at the southern end of the site. Draco said it would restrict operations to food preparation for off‑site distribution and refrain from hosting a catering business or high‑traffic retail pickup.
Planning staff noted the property is short of the zoning‑required parking for fully built multifamily but has a management plan on file and had previously received a parking waiver for residential parking. The board granted a waiver to allow the commissary use and amended the site’s parking management plan to limit commissary parking to no more than five flex spaces and to prohibit overnight parking by commissary staff vehicles. The board included conditions recorded on the plan that limit hours of operation and require language in leases and management rules to enforce parking restrictions.
Lefavor said the commissary operator expects only three staff cars most days and that the loading dock will receive small supply deliveries; the board required that any change in use or substantial increase in deliveries would require return to the planning board. An on‑site resident raised concern about weekend operations; the board left hours at 5 a.m.–4 p.m. and noted it could revisit conditions if complaints arise.
The board approved the waiver and the plan amendment unanimously and will require the applicant to supply an updated parking management plan and documentation of lease language before the plan is signed.
