Framingham Planning Board Meeting - December 19, 2025
Framingham Planning Board Meeting - December 19, 2025
The Framingham Planning Board held a public hearing on December 19, 2025, to consider a scenic roadway modification for tree removal at 196 Grant Street, along with other administrative items. The meeting also included a warning about an active email scam targeting permit applicants, a vote to use remaining Millwood funds for a housing plan, and updates on Community Preservation Committee (CPC) projects.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Brian Fabry (District 7, applicant): Described receiving a scam email requesting $4,900 to secure a permit, purportedly from Chair Ted Cosgrove. He stated he nearly withdrew from the meeting but was alerted by the board. He later testified about his request to remove a city-owned thornless honey locust tree on the Mansfield Street side of his property, citing extensive damage to his home (roof repairs costing $8,500, sewer line, walkway, driveway) from roots and animals (squirrels) nesting on his roof. He emphasized he wished to follow the proper process, unlike past neighbors who removed trees without permits.
Discussion Items
- Tree Removal Request (196 Grant Street): The board reviewed a request to remove a 40-inch DBH (diameter at breast height) honey locust tree within the public right-of-way on a scenic road. Tree Warden Rebecca Now (certified arborist) testified the tree was approximately 80–100 years old, healthy with no signs of failure, and had no documented history of damage. She noted that honey locust roots typically do not heave pavement and that the tree’s canopy did not overhang the applicant’s roof. She opposed removal, stating the city would only prune to ANSI A300 standards and would not remove the tree unless it posed a hazard to the public right-of-way. Board members discussed the tree’s scenic value and the proximity to the home. A site visit was proposed to assess the tree’s impact, and the hearing was continued to January 8, 2026.
- Millwood Funds for Housing Plan: Sarkey (board member) requested approval to use approximately $10,000 remaining in the Millwood affordable housing fund to complete the city’s housing plan. The funds were originally from a developer payment in lieu of affordable units. The board voted unanimously to approve the expenditure.
- CPC Updates: Sarkey reported on three major projects before the Community Preservation Committee: (1) Eastleigh Farm – a 100-acre farm seeking a $3 million agricultural restriction (total value $7 million, with state and partner grants); (2) 45 Nixon Road – a 11-acre parcel near the Bay Circuit Trail and Sudbury Valley Trustees, with a proposal for $250,000 in CPC funds matched by $250,000 from SVT to preserve land and reduce development; (3) 499 Central Street – a property purchased with Millwood funds to create parking and access to Simpson Park.
- Staff Reports: Sarkey noted that the city council voted not to support a zoning change that would make the planning board the special permit granting authority for projects over 125,000 square feet. This motion cannot be reintroduced in the same form for two years. Upcoming zoning changes were announced for Shoppers World, Clarks Hill, Eagle Rock, and Speen Street, with discussions expected in January and February.
Key Outcomes
- Tree Removal Request: Continued to January 8, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The board will conduct a site visit in the interim to evaluate the tree’s impact on the property and the scenic character of the street. The applicant may attend remotely.
- Millwood Funds: Approved unanimously to use the remaining $10,000 for the housing plan.
- Minutes: Approved minutes from November 6 and November 20, 2025.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned after the above items.
Meeting Transcript
The Framingham Planning Board is comprised of five members. The board reviews the wide range of applications for commercial and residential projects. The mission of the Planning Board is to ensure the projects increase quality of life, contribute to economic development, and are consistent with Framingham's character. The Framingham Planning Board is also responsible for enforcing and revising the zoning bylaws and developing and implementing the city's master plan. The following planning board meeting coverage is brought to you by the government channel, a service of the city of Framingham. Good evening. My name is Ted Cosgrove. I'm the chair of the Framingham Planning Board. This is an open meeting of the Planning Board being conducted in person and remotely. The hour being 7 07. We got a little bit of a late start here. So knowing that this is a uh hybrid meeting, things are being recorded here. So if you're on video conference, please just be aware of that. Um looking at the agenda tonight. Uh we have a very light agenda, just one case, and it is a tree. Uh so I'm gonna just talk for a second about um something that's going on with the city. There is a a scam afoot here, and I want everybody who is a potential applicant of the planning board to be aware of it and and perhaps other boards. Um I read this in last at our last hearing. I'm gonna read this again, and then I'm gonna ask the current applicant who's sitting in the audience tonight just to speak very briefly about his experience and what he received, because it is it it's shocking. Uh the city of Framingham is warning residents, contractors, and local businesses about an active email scam involving fraudulent requests for payment related to municipal permits. The individuals sending these scam emails are using information that is publicly accessible on the city's public meeting portal where agendas and permit-related documentation are posted in accordance with state open meeting laws. All city resources and systems remain secure. The city of Framingham will never request wire transfers or online payments through unfamiliar links or unofficial communication methods. All legitimate city communications come from email addresses ending in at Framingham Mass.gov. Framingham.gov. And all payments for permits must be made directly through the city's official website or in person at City Hall. So that is the statement I read last month. Uh our applicant this evening uh received just such uh a s an email, a scam, frankly, and it was in my name, which uh is not something I take lightly. Uh but Mr. Fabry has given us some documents, and if you would come up to the mic, Mr. Fabry. Um this is really advisory for for other residents in the city. Um it it is shocking. It will be presented to the police. Uh what Mr. Fabries received. I look at it and it has an air of authenticity. It's signed by me, is not signed, but it's uh identified by me in the email as the chair. It speaks to the applicant and the matters uh presented to us, and uh it requests or or identifies a payment in order to receive the permit that the applicant is has requested. Uh Mr. Fabry, uh, thank you very much for being willing to speak. If you could just share a little bit what you received and well, this morning uh right after breakfast, I opened up my emails, and this was in in my email bucket, and it it it told me that I needed to spend a total of four thousand nine hundred dollars to um come and speak to you today. That's the way I looked at it and looked very official. Two pages. I immediately uh replied to the planning board here that I'm sorry, I'm not gonna be coming to the meeting tonight. That's what you know it it cost that much money. I just didn't realize I knew there was a fee, and I heard the fee was weighed for me. I don't know what that fee was, but um I looked at that and said, wow, I can't believe that this didn't. Um sure wasn't happy about it. I tell you that.
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