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Planning board clears Tesla supercharger upgrade at Riverwalk, requires stalls be open to all EVs
Summary
The board authorized a retrofit and expansion of the Riverwalk Tesla supercharger array (from 10 to 16 posts) and allowed the project to proceed without a full new site‑plan review so long as the charging stalls are usable by all electric‑vehicle makes (not reserved for Tesla only).
The Lincoln Planning Board approved a proposed retrofit and expansion of the Tesla supercharger array at the Riverwalk parking area and allowed the applicant to proceed without a full new site‑plan review subject to one condition: charging stalls must be available to all electric vehicles.
Matt Tolan, a project manager for Dewberry Engineers representing Tesla, said the proposal replaces older V2/V3 chargers with new V4 supercharger cabinets and expands the existing array from 10 to 16 posts. The upgrade requires a transformer and switchgear replacement on the current pad but no expansion of the fenced equipment enclosure.
Board members asked whether the new stalls would be dedicated only to Tesla vehicles or available to all EVs. The applicant responded that the new V4 equipment supports universal connectors and that the stalls would be open to non‑Tesla EVs. Safety questions about bollards and emergency response were raised; the project team said the posts include low‑profile protective devices and that the chargers are energised only when a vehicle initiates the connection.
The board moved and approved a motion allowing the retrofit to proceed without a full site‑plan review so long as the stalls are not limited to a single make. Applicants were directed to submit the standard land‑use permit paperwork to the planning office.
