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Zoning board approves larger building footprint for proposed BMW dealership on Greenland Road
Summary
The Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a variance allowing a 46,000 sq ft building at 1575 Greenland Road, exceeding the 20,000-sq-ft maximum in current rules; the board denied a separate open-space waiver and will seek counsel on overlay zoning language.
The Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to grant a variance permitting a 46,000-square-foot maximum building footprint for a proposed BMW dealership at 1575 Greenland Road. The motion to approve the footprint variance passed by roll call; individual tallies were recorded but not specified in the transcript.
John Wilson, representing applicant Group One Automotive, told the board the proposed building would replace an existing, larger structure and argued the new layout would improve site circulation and aesthetics. Neil Hansen, the civil engineer on the project, said the plan reuses existing driveways and would move pavement away from wetlands and add stormwater treatment to meet current standards.
Board members asked for operational and environmental justification for the building size during questioning; the applicant said building dimensions were driven by operational needs while parking and circulation reflected the civil site plan. The board separated the footprint request from other dimensional waivers so each could be decided independently.
The board’s approval applies only to the dimensional variance; the applicant must still obtain any conditional-use permit or other approvals required from the planning board. The board also agreed to draft a formal question for town counsel to resolve whether the RCIM overlay district allows automobile dealerships, a legal point that participants said remains ambiguous.
