Proposed Worcester Road gas station with five units draws traffic and conservation questions

At the July 15 Planning Board meeting, consulting engineer Al Cuba summarized a proposal for a gasoline filling station, convenience store and drive-through with five residential units on the second floor at the Worcester Road/Old Worcester Road intersection. The applicant described a 4.7-acre site (about 2.5 acres of disturbed front area), proposed a 6-foot cedar privacy fence and plantings to screen nearby residences, and presented a photometric plan the team said would prevent light spill onto adjacent properties.

"This is not gonna be a 24 (hour operation)," Al Cuba said when asked about hours; he described tentative hours "probably 5:00 in the morning till maybe 10:00 at night... maybe 11:00" seasonally. He told the board that fuel tanks would be double-walled, the stormwater system would include oil/water separators and four-foot sumps (each sump can hold roughly 350–400 gallons) to capture spills.

Traffic reviewers from MDM Transportation raised concerns that driveway orientation and proximity to the Route 20 signal will require MassDOT review. Bob Michel, the traffic reviewer, recommended right-in/right-out operation on the westerly driveway to reduce complex maneuvers at the signal, flagged queuing and turning distances, and suggested a snow-management plan because shown snow-storage areas are narrow. The applicant said they will coordinate with the fire department and MassDOT on curb cuts and driveway geometry and noted a scheduled hydrant pressure test on July 21 to confirm fire-protection capacity.

The board asked the applicant to return after addressing outstanding peer-review comments and conservation concerns; the applicant and staff tentatively scheduled a return in early September to allow time for MassDOT and conservation reviews.