Norwood ZBA approves expansion of Norwood Gulf service station with strict conditions on lighting, landscaping, hours and storage

After extensive public comment and revised plans submitted this month, the Board of Appeals of the Town of Norwood on July 1 approved Case 25‑02, a special permit under Section 5.2 to allow a three‑bay addition and related site modifications at the Norwood Gulf service station (707). The board attached multiple conditions addressing lighting, landscaping, hours of vehicle service, exterior storage, fencing and certificate of occupancy requirements.

Attorney David Hearn Jr. presented revised plans submitted in late June and said the revisions responded to many of the board’s previous concerns. Engineer Tim Power reviewed the site plan (C100), planting plan (L100) and a photometric lighting plan; the plans showed additional perimeter screening, a relocated dumpster on a concrete pad, designated snow storage areas, and downward‑facing, shielded fixtures intended to minimize spill beyond property lines. Hearn said the team agreed to specify warmer (3,000 Kelvin or less) fixtures and to restrict most side and rear exterior lighting to motion sensors.

Owner William Manjuri said the business is busy on Saturdays and requested extended bay hours, explaining the request would help customers. "We’re getting a little bit busy on Saturdays. It’s better to be from 7 to 5 on Saturdays," Manjuri said. The board limited vehicle service hours to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, and the board explicitly excluded gasoline and convenience‑store sales (and emergency repairs) from those service‑hour limits.

Neighbor concerns were numerous. Resident Debbie Homewood said storage and on‑site clutter have been longstanding problems at the property and urged the board to avoid vague conditions that would be hard to enforce: "We’ve got tires. We’ve got oil tanks. We’ve got 50‑gallon barrels…there’s just no room," she said. Another resident, Bridal (Parmetier), asked for clearer screening along Ridge Road; several neighbors asked that evergreen screening be added so the site is less visible in winter.

The board’s approved conditions (summarized) include: - All new and existing lighting on the sides and rear to be controlled by motion detectors (10‑minute shutoff) when the business is closed; front‑facing lighting and existing parking‑lot poles remain as installed but shall be downward‑facing and may be shielded; maximum spill at property line limited to 0.5 foot‑candles; fixtures to be 6–8 feet above grade for wall‑mounted fixtures (higher over garage bay doors); color temperature 3,000 Kelvin or lower. The board referenced the submitted Holbrook lighting plan dated 06/23/2025. - Landscaping: the plan designated L100 (RBL Design, dated 06/23/2025) to be installed within one year and plantings to be installed, maintained and replaced as necessary; the applicant will coordinate any plantings in town right‑of‑way with DPW. - No overnight parking or long‑term parking of vehicles unrelated to business operations beyond service hours; vehicles may be on site only if delivered for or in the process of service. Convenience‑store and gas operations not restricted by the service‑hour limits. - No exterior storage of tires, drums, equipment or other materials; all such materials to be kept inside the new storage room indicated on the approved site plan. - The East Cross Street gate will be used only for emergency situations or building repairs/renovations; customer vehicles shall not be moved into or out of service bays via that gate. - Repair or replacement of existing stock gate and vinyl fencing along East Cross Street; fence height specified at 6 feet where required and encroachments to be corrected. - Building exterior walls for the new addition to match brick or brick‑veneer similar to the original front facade. - Certificate of occupancy (temporary or permanent) for the new three‑bay addition will not be issued until the applicant demonstrates compliance with the conditions of this decision and specified prior ZBA cases (25‑09 and 25‑10) and the planning board’s 2023 site plan as modified in 2025.

The board received numerous technical clarifications during the hearing: the applicant agreed to relocate the former clothing‑collection bin and an air‑vac machine as shown on the revised plan; truck turning templates were provided for dumpster servicing; snow storage areas were marked on the plan; and the applicant agreed to stake or re‑stake property lines to identify any fence encroachments for correction.

After deliberation the board voted to approve the special permit with the conditions above and with attachments to the decision including the site plan (C100), planting plan (L100) and lighting plan dated 06/23/2025. The motion passed on a roll call: Rachel yes; Shannon yes; Joanne yes; Al no; Chair yes (motion passed 4–1).