Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Somerville planning board approves kitchen addition, variances for 157 East Main St.
Summary
The Somerville Planning Board approved a minor site-plan application allowing Somerville Estate LLC to add a deli kitchen to an existing convenience store at 157 East Main St., granting variance relief with conditions including hours limits, lighting adjustments, tree-payment, and dumpster/screening requirements.
The Somerville Planning Board on Sept. 24 approved a minor site-plan application and several variances for Somerville Estate LLC to add a kitchen and deli service to an existing convenience store at 157 East Main Street.
The approval followed testimony from the applicant’s team and a roll-call vote in which all members present voted to approve the application with conditions. The board’s recorded conditions include limiting pickups and deliveries to between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.; store hours of 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. with the kitchen closing at 6 p.m.; shielding and photometric verification of wall-mounted site lighting; payment in lieu for six missing street trees at $6.50 per tree; removal of advertising from storefront glass and installation only of board-approved signage; expansion or improved screening of the dumpster enclosure (or increased pickup frequency); elevation of HVAC equipment above the flood elevation; and a public trash can to be placed on the Park Avenue side of the property.
“The application here today is for the addition of a kitchen, to allow the service of hot food and deli food in the building,” project engineer Frank Farrell told the board, adding that the proposal includes no site-layout changes and that most bulk standards already comply. Farrell described the lot as roughly 16,542 square feet at the intersection of East Main Street (Route 28) and Park Avenue and said existing parking (15 spaces) exceeds what the ordinance requires.
Owner Henry Patel described the business’s recent reopening and pledged steps to prevent litter and odors if the deli begins operating. “We would add additional garbage can to the right side of the property,” Patel said, and said staff would check and remove trash frequently, estimating interior and exterior cleaning would occur multiple times per day.
Planner Samuel Bellamy told the board the redevelopment plan for the district allows the proposed use and that the variance relief is appropriate given the site’s existing configuration. The applicant agreed during testimony to submit photometric measurements for the board engineer’s review, to coordinate with the sewer authority (SRVSA) if required, and to make sidewalk and driveway repairs to remove tripping hazards.
At the hearing the board also discussed a 10-foot private right-of-way shown on the tax map along the northern property line; the applicant agreed to use best efforts to locate any underlying right-of-way documentation and, if found, to pursue discharge if appropriate.
The board’s approval was recorded after counsel summarized conditions on the record and a motion to approve was made and seconded. The board’s minute record lists the conditions noted above; the application was approved subject to compliance with the board planner’s PB-1 review letter and standard escrow and compliance conditions.
The board said it would require the applicant to provide any documents, amended plans, or certifications necessary to verify compliance with the conditions before final sign-off.
