Planning board recommends city council approve zoning change to let 369 Washington St. hotel be split off for financing

The Woburn City Planning Board voted 7–0 on Oct. 8 to send a favorable recommendation to the City Council for a zoning amendment that would change the definition of "mixed use hotel/restaurant" and add Woburn Landing to a dimensional‑regulations footnote.

Attorney Joseph Taube of Rubin and Redmond, representing Madison Woburn Holdings LLC, told the board the amendment’s purpose is practical: "The bottom line of the zoning amendment is to allow the ability to separate the hotel from the remainder of the property for financing or sale purposes," he said. Taube added the proposal "doesn't impact any other property in the city of Woburn" and would not create new development rights beyond those already approved for the site.

Why it matters: The parcel at 369 Washington St. currently contains a dual‑brand hotel (Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites) and several restaurant and retail tenants including a 110 Grill, Chick‑fil‑A, a forthcoming Starbucks and Press Cafe. Lenders commonly require a hotel to be fee‑simple on its own lot to underwrite financing or refinancing; the amendment would let the hotel be subdivided while keeping the overall buildings part of a single development.

Taube compared the change to earlier amendments used at Inwood Office Park and Unicorn Park that allowed similar separations while preserving grandfathered floor‑area‑ratio (FAR) and open‑space protections. He told the board that, under the conceptual subdivision shown, one lot’s usable open space would be about 23.4% (above the 20% minimum) and the separated hotel lot’s FAR would be roughly 0.71 (under the 0.75 cap noted in the relevant footnote).

Board members asked detailed questions about access, parking and permitting. "Who owns the driveways?" a board member asked; Taube replied those arrangements are typically handled with reciprocal easement agreements and that any subdivision would require modified site plans and additional public hearings. Taube also confirmed that projects under the amended definition would still require a special permit in the zoning districts where mixed‑use hotel/restaurant is allowed.

Public comment: The planning board opened the hearing for public comment and heard none. After discussion, Board member Carolyn Turner moved to close the public hearing; Jim Callahan seconded and the motion carried 7–0. Later, Board member Claudia moved the board send a favorable recommendation to the City Council; the motion was seconded by David Edmonds and carried 7–0.

What happens next: The City Council will consider the zoning amendment at a public hearing scheduled for Nov. 19; applicants will still need any necessary modified site plans and special‑permit approvals before any lot subdivision is recorded.