Council committee clears minor plan amendment for Woburn Village pedestrian improvements

The special permits committee voted to send a petitioner’s minor plan amendment for Woburn Village to the full City Council after reviewing a parking‑monitoring study and proposed pedestrian improvements.

Attorney Mark Bond and the developer’s team described a proposal to add roughly 280 feet of sidewalk, landscaping and pedestrian features near the Chase Bank/Commerce Way corner of Woburn Village to encourage people to use available parking in that area and walk to restaurants and retail. Bond and project engineers said prior parking monitoring (required at 80% occupancy) showed sufficient off‑peak parking capacity in the Avalon/Chase area while retail clusters near restaurants reach capacity at certain peak times. The proposed improvements include pavement treatments and decorative elements intended to visually connect the more distant parking to the restaurants and improve pedestrian circulation.

Committee members asked whether the sidewalk would remove parking stalls (it will not), how existing lighting and ADA access would be handled, and whether tenant employee parking programs already in place would remain. Attorney Bond said no parking stalls would be lost and pointed to planned additional spaces that may come available through a separate project. The committee also raised maintenance and tenant responsibilities and asked staff to verify ADA ramps and illumination details. The committee voted to send the minor plan amendment forward with conditions addressing Commissioner Quinn’s comments on ADA compliance, maintenance responsibility and lighting.

Officials said the change is intended to reduce circling behavior and make underused parking areas more accessible on foot; the committee will consider final conditions and a full vote at the next council meeting.