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Planning board approves special permit and site plan for additions at 9 Goddard Street
Summary
The Planning Board granted a special permit and site plan approval for 9 Goddard Street to allow façade replacement and three additions totaling 22,655 square feet, subject to findings and conditions including a parking and transportation demand management plan prior to occupancy for the additions.
The Town of Northborough Planning Board voted Dec. 16 to grant site‑plan approval and a special permit under the Groundwater Protection Overlay District for work at 9 Goddard Street, including replacement of a building façade and three additions totaling 22,655 square feet.
Planner Laurie reported that recent submittals addressed the bulk of staff comments and that outstanding items were captured as conditions of approval. Because the project will temporarily increase staff and visitor parking demand on certain days, staff required a parking and transportation demand management (TDM) plan to be submitted prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit for the additions; the plan should identify triggers for activating shuttle or other measures during peak events.
Applicant representatives said bike racks would be installed or re‑installed at the main entrance and that they have used shuttle buses to hotels in the past. The board discussed whether shuttles to the Westborough commuter rail station would be included; applicants agreed to formalize commitments in a written plan describing triggers and scope.
The board also voted to waive a traffic impact analysis under planning board rules (section 7.271a), citing the limited scope of the project. In the subsequent roll‑call on the main motion the board recorded unanimous support among members present and approved the special permit and site plan subject to conditions and findings.
Conditions include submission of a formal parking/TDM plan prior to an occupancy permit for the additions, and coordination of pedestrian connections when the applicant later applies for a new parking lot across the street. Staff indicated that when the future parking lot application is filed the town’s parking regulations will require pedestrian access from that lot to the building and the board will expect walkways that link the sidewalk on Goddard Road to building entrances.
The decision binds the applicant to the findings and conditions attached to the board’s approval; the applicant agreed to prepare the required plans and to clarify phasing/timing language for temporary certificates of occupancy if needed.
