McDonald’s proposes 3,830‑sq‑ft drive‑through restaurant on Route 20; council sends matter to Urban Affairs

McDonald’s USA presented plans for a 3,830‑square‑foot restaurant with a double drive‑through at 735 Boston Post Road East and asked the council for a special permit for the drive‑through use.

Anne Sobolewski, speaking for McDonald’s, said the site is vacant and the applicant proposes to demolish existing structures and replace them with a smaller building with 38 seats and 36 parking spaces. The design team, including Luke DiStefano of Boller Engineering and Sean Kelly of Chapel Engineering, described expanded landscaping, reduced impervious area, stormwater pretreatment and a traffic study prepared to state and industry standards. The project team said impervious cover would fall by about 15% (roughly 17,500 square feet) and that stormwater would be collected, pretreated in a proprietary quality unit and discharged into the existing drainage network, reducing runoff rates for design storms up to the 100‑year event.

Traffic consultant Sean Kelly told the council that Boston Post Road (Route 20) carries roughly 16,500 weekday vehicles and that trip‑generation estimates using Institute of Transportation Engineers data show McDonald’s would add modest new volumes after accounting for internal and pass‑by capture. Kelly said the project’s peak-hour impact on nearby signals would increase average vehicle delay by less than one second per vehicle and that sight distances meet standards once frontage vegetation is cleared. He also recommended minor access and circulation treatments such as stop signs and pavement markings; the project will require an access permit from MassDOT District 3.

Residents raised concerns about hours of operation (applicant requested 5 a.m. to 2 a.m.), signage, trash collection and 18‑wheel deliveries, noise and lighting, and the accuracy of traffic counts taken during Route 20 construction. David O’Neil and other neighbors said the area already experiences overnight truck idling, delivery noise and lighting from surrounding businesses and asked for restrictions on trash pickup times and noise controls. Councilors said such operational conditions are often included in special permits and would be considered by Urban Affairs. Several councilors also urged the applicant to follow the Wayside District sign rules and to coordinate signage and driveway circulation so customers can use rear connections to reach traffic signals rather than turning across Route 20.

Councilors asked about stormwater design; the engineering team said no infiltration testing was performed because the design does not rely on infiltration — runoff will be collected, pretreated and discharged — and the plan shows net reductions in runoff volumes and rates. The applicant said the building will be all‑electric and will not require onsite natural gas.

The council closed public testimony and recorded that the matter will move to the Urban Affairs Committee for additional review of a draft special‑permit application, sign permits, possible conditions on delivery and trash pickup times, and coordination with MassDOT.