Somerville Planning Board reschedules West End Avenue self-storage hearing to April 15

The Somerville Planning Board on 2026-01-21 agreed to reconvene the application hearing for a proposed self-storage facility at 20–30 West End Avenue on April 15 at 7 p.m. after the applicant’s attorney said revised plans would be submitted and he would re-notice the hearing.

Jason Tuvall, attorney for the applicant, told the board, “We are not starting that application, this evening. . . . I was gonna ask if with the board’s permission, if we could be scheduled for the second meeting of April.” He said his team would deliver revised plans to staff and that he would grant the board extensions if needed so staff could complete its review.

Board staff and members discussed the review-clock options for the application. The applicant offered to extend the board’s time to act either through the hearing date or through the end of the month; members agreed to schedule the hearing for April 15 to allow time for staff review and to ensure a full board would be present.

Near the end of the meeting, resident Bill Sisco of 37 Eastern Avenue asked whether the zoning for the proposal allows a self-storage use. Sisco said, “The zone that this proposal, for this, self storage unit, is a self storage unit currently allowed under our regulations? No. It is not allowed.” Board members responded that the matter would require variances and must come before the board for consideration; one member said, “This is the board that, makes the illegal legal,” reflecting that the board hears variance requests that can grant exceptions to existing zoning.

The board’s staff said the hearing will be reconvened on April 15 at 7 p.m. in Borough Hall; the applicant said he will re-notice the hearing after submitting revised plans.