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Special permits committee sends supermarket application out "ought to pass" after agreement on mitigation and parking conditions
Summary
The special permits committee forwarded a petition to convert Bobby's Discount Furniture to an ethnic supermarket, with the applicant agreeing to $56,000 in traffic mitigation and an annual parking-lot restriping and maintenance regimen as part of 13 conditions.
The Woburn City special permits committee voted to send out an application "ought to pass" for a proposed ethnic supermarket that would replace Bobby's Discount Furniture. Attorney Tarvey, representing the applicant, said the proposal includes about 904 square feet of dining space and a 791-square-foot kitchen and prep area.
At the July meeting Attorney Tarvey told the committee his client agreed to include “everything that's been recommended by the city engineer for a total of $56,000 in traffic information.” Committee members and the applicant also discussed parking-lot condition and long-term maintenance.
The property owner agreed to annual crack filling and to restripe the entire parking lot — including arrows and pavement markings — on an annual basis. The committee added language allowing the building commissioner to inspect the lot annually and to require repairs within a reasonable time after notice; committee members said that inspection could trigger a resurfacing determination if the lot deteriorates.
Committee members debated whether to require full resurfacing immediately. Some members urged aesthetic and maintenance expectations for commercial property owners; others warned that requiring a $150,700 seal-and-resurface up front would be cost-prohibitive and a bad precedent. The committee settled on the annual restriping and inspection approach and retained a $28,000 item in the conditions as discussed.
Attorney Tarvey submitted revised conditions that reflected those changes. The committee voted to send the petition out "ought to pass" with the 13 conditions as amended.
The petition will return to the full council or a subsequent hearing for final action; the committee vote does not by itself grant the special permit.
