Northborough ZBA continues hearing on 1 Church Street mixed-use proposal after traffic, snow-storage and safety questions

The Northborough Zoning Board of Appeals continued a public hearing on May 6 for a special-permit application by LAK Northborough Realty LLC to build three mixed-use buildings totaling 18,189 square feet at 1 Church Street.

Attorney Barry Crimmins, representing the applicant, said the team submitted a revised traffic impact assessment and responses to the town's peer-review comments; he introduced the project engineers from Haley Ward and the applicant's traffic consultant from Fuss & O'Neill. "We have since submitted our response memo to Tetra Tech's memo," Crimmins told the board, and he asked the traffic consultant to summarize findings for members.

Ken Kramm of Fuss & O'Neill said counts taken in April and model runs following MassDOT guidance project roughly 35 additional AM and 48 additional PM peak-hour vehicle trips attributable to the site. He reported existing daily volumes of about 11,800 vehicles on Church Street and 17,800 on West Main near Gale Street, observed speeds approximately 6–7 mph above posted limits, and noted five years of crash data that show elevated counts at the Church/West Main/Pierce intersection. "There is no change in level of service at the unsignalized locations and...the signalized intersection of West Main and Church Street, again, there's no level of service change," Kramm said, while also recommending sight-line landscaping limits and a right-turn-only exit on West Main.

Board members asked detailed follow-up questions about sample days, whether school dismissal peaks were captured, queue lengths, and how crash rates were benchmarked. Planning staff and commissioners repeatedly said Tetra Tech's independent review will be required to validate methodology and assumptions. Chair Paul Tagli Ferry and several members pressed whether the site could safely accommodate a secondary entrance or allow a right-turn-in from West Main; Kramm said he would evaluate widening the driveway but cautioned that the site geometry may limit a full two-way driveway on West Main.

Dan Sheahan of Haley Ward reviewed civil-plan updates since the April meeting, including clearer zoning mapping, added MUTCD-compliant signage for a proposed crosswalk, interior landscaping calculations to meet the 10% requirement, two proposed hydrants, a proposed gas service for the restaurant kitchen, and minor adjustments to subsurface drainage locations in response to peer review. The team also added a swept-path analysis to confirm access for fire apparatus.

The board debated a snow-storage condition. Planner and members discussed fixed-height language (an 8-foot maximum) versus functional language that would require snow not to block required parking spaces, accessible routes or primary walkways. "I think we can come up with something...snow shall not be allowed to accumulate in such a manner that blocks parking spaces or walkways," one member suggested; the applicant said it would investigate off-site disposal options for large storms.

Public commenters raised safety and data concerns. Nina Wall of 81 Church Street said the study's sampling days and peak-hour windows understate local conditions and worry that the site could become a cut-through to West Main; she urged the board to account for school-bus peaks. Former select-board member Mitch Cohen recommended the board consider rectangular flashing beacons at the proposed crosswalk. Several board members said the crosswalk is needed but noted the town, not the ZBA, controls construction funding.

After discussion the applicant requested a continuance so the team could incorporate peer-review comments; the board voted to continue the hearing to June 23, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. The board also approved April 14 meeting minutes with a requested amendment to note an attendee.