Framingham Planning Board Meeting – September 3, 2026

The Framingham Planning Board held a regular meeting on September 3, 2026, starting at 7:00 PM. The meeting covered several agenda items including an Approval Not Required (ANR) determination for a city-owned parcel at 499 Central Street, a continued hearing for a mixed-use conversion at 1001 Worcester Road, a special permit for a one-day outdoor event at Watson Place, and informal discussions on a subdivision modification at 125 Elm Street, an agricultural preservation development concept for Eastley Farm, and a proposed mixed-use development at 63-75 Fountain Street. The board also approved the minutes from the previous meeting and granted continuances as needed.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the prior meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Osman Hernandez (owner of 1001 Worcester Road) expressed support for his project to convert vacant office space into five residential units, noting the building has been vacant for three years and he wants to improve its appearance.
• Stuart Paulay (resident at 376 Concord Street and chair of the City of Framingham License Commission, appearing on his own behalf; tenant at 1001 Worcester Road) opposed the removal of three parking spaces for landscaping, stating his business, Night Nurse, needs about eight parking spaces especially on weekends, and reducing parking would force employees and residents to park on nearby streets. He also requested that the board minimize changes to entrances and windows that would reduce his office square footage.
• Joe Paladino (also with Night Nurse) echoed concerns about parking and entrance relocation, noting the new residential lobby entrance would cause loss of office space.
• Phil Ottaviani (owner of Chubb Road LLC, developer for 125 Elm Street) explained the proposal to build a replica of a historic house rather than restore the existing one, citing the structure's poor condition. He committed to not building additional lots until the replica house is completed and occupied.
• Doug Stefan (owner of Eastley Farm for 25 years) described his effort to preserve the farm through a residential development concept called "agri-hood," which would cluster units on a small portion of the land and preserve the majority as working farmland.

Discussion Items

• ANR at 499 Central Street: The board considered a plan to divide the city-owned parcel into two lots, with one lot intended for parking access to Simpson Park. The funds to purchase the home came from a Planning Board affordable housing fund ($1.4 million from the Millward development). The Community Preservation Committee required the ANR to separate the portion used for recreation. The board endorsed the determination that no subdivision approval is required.

• Continuance for 121 Concord Street: The applicant requested a continuance to September 17, 2026; the board approved.

• Continued Hearing for 1001 Worcester Road (Mixed-Use Conversion): The applicant, JCBT Architect LLC, presented modifications to address board concerns: removal of three parking spaces along Pleasant Street, addition of arborvitae for privacy, and addition of windows to the facade. The board discussed whether to retain parking spaces and instead plant landscaping elsewhere. The architect noted that the dumpster location requires the parking spaces for large trucks. The board also discussed window design to match existing architectural rhythm. The hearing was continued to September 17, 2026.

• Special Permit for Watson Place (One-Day Outdoor Event): The board approved a one-day outdoor movie/entertainment event at the Saxonville Mill courtyard on September 19, 2026. The building commissioner noted this requires a special permit for outdoor entertainment. The board recommended the applicant file a formal application for future years to avoid annual requests. The event is a fundraiser for the Mills charitable fund.

• Informal Discussion – 125 Elm Street (Subdivision Modification): The developer proposed to build a replica of a historic house (originally required to be preserved) on Lot 2 of an approved five-lot subdivision. The house currently faces Elm Street but is in poor condition. The developer committed to completing the replica house before building additional lots. The board expressed support for the concept pending approval from the Historical Commission and a formal application for a subdivision modification.

• Informal Discussion – Eastley Farm (Agricultural Preservation Development): The project team presented two interrelated concepts: (1) an Agricultural Preservation Development (APD) on the farm parcel (112 acres) with 30 residential units (including four affordable units) on 12 acres, preserving 100 acres; and (2) development of two lots across the street (1061 and 1065 Edmonds Road) with four single-family homes (two per lot) to generate revenue to support the farm. The units at the farm would be age-restricted to reduce traffic impacts. The board discussed the road layout, building design, and the need for a site visit. The project team plans to meet with neighbors before a formal pre-application meeting.

• Informal Discussion – 63-75 Fountain Street (Mixed-Use Development): The applicant presented revised plans for a mixed-use project with 94 residential units (31 affordable), a 2,700 square foot restaurant/cafe, and public access to the pond. Key changes included widening the gap between buildings to improve views to the water, moving the restaurant to ground level with an outdoor deck, and providing public patios for food trucks. The board discussed parking ratios (the proposal uses 1.25 spaces per unit, below the required 1.5), fire access, and public accessibility. Board members praised the waterfront dining opportunity and improved porosity of the site but expressed concerns about density and parking. No formal vote was taken; the applicant will return with final engineering.

Key Outcomes

• ANR at 499 Central Street: Unanimous determination that no subdivision approval is required. (Vote: 4-0)
• Continuance for 121 Concord Street: Unanimously continued to September 17, 2026. (Vote: 4-0)
• Continuance for 1001 Worcester Road: Unanimously continued to September 17, 2026. (Vote: 4-0)
• Special Permit for Watson Place: Unanimously approved for the one-day event on September 19, 2026. (Vote: 4-0)
• Informal Discussions: No formal votes; board provided feedback and directed applicants to proceed with next steps (site visit for Eastley Farm, formal application for 125 Elm Street after Historic Commission approval, and final engineering for 63-75 Fountain Street).
• Staff Report: Planning staff will propose zoning bylaw amendments in the fall to align with state law changes (e.g., accessory dwelling units, practical difficulty standard for variances, and 40A provisions).