Framingham Planning Board Meeting – October 1, 2026

The Framingham Planning Board met in hybrid session on October 1, 2026. The board approved prior meeting minutes, endorsed an Approval Not Required (ANR) plan for Curve Street, continued a Concord Street hearing, held a lengthy discussion of the proposed Shoppers World signage overhaul, and received updates on city zoning and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) compliance issues.

Consent Calendar

• The board unanimously approved the September 17, 2026 planning board meeting minutes by voice vote.

Approval Not Required – 25, 29, and 29R Curve Street

• Brian Nelson of Metro West Engineering presented the ANR plan for three lots on Curve Street: 25 Curve Street (Colodis barbershop), 29F Curve Street (house and barbershop parking), and 29R Curve Street (residence). He explained that the proposal would reconfigure lot lines so the barbershop parking lot is on the same lot as the barbershop; lot 3 would not change. A 14-foot-wide way provides access to the rear houses.
• Nelson noted the project received a ZBA decision dated April 8, 2026, after a March 2026 ZBA hearing.
• Board members asked clarifying questions about existing versus proposed plans. They found the plan straightforward and moved to endorse the ANR under the Subdivision Control Law; the motion passed unanimously.

Continuance – 101-105 Concord Street

• The applicant requested a continuance to October 15, 2026. The board voted by voice vote to continue the matter to that date.

Shoppers World Signage Discussion

• Joe Duquette of Bowditch, representing Urban Edge/Shoppers World LLC, and Sama Kasim of Urban Edge presented with David Chapman of Gable, the graphic design consultant. The applicant proposes to modify the signage program governed by the 1994 and 2016 planning board approvals.
• The proposal would increase freestanding signs from four to fourteen and add five wall/directional directory signs. It also seeks revised guidelines that would allow the city sign officer to administratively approve compliant signs, while the planning board would retain jurisdiction over deviations, noncompliant signs, and substantive modifications.
• The applicant described a coordinated family of signs: a large BB1 monument sign (approximately 24 feet tall and 40 feet wide) as a new main identity statement, ground-mounted identity signs, tenant identity pylons, vehicular directional signs, and wall directories. They said the design includes a faux neon arrow as a nod to the historic Shoppers World sign. The campus is 140 acres with more than 750,000 square feet of retail and about 8 million annual visits; Chick-fil-A was cited as the largest single traffic driver.
• Board members generally supported the idea of refreshing and unifying Shoppers World signage and improving wayfinding, but raised several concerns:
  • A board member described the project as a chance for campus-wide master planning and proposed a bus site visit with physical stakes showing proposed sign locations. He argued the main entrance and prominent sign should be on Route 9, and raised concerns about the Flutie Pass one-way intersection, nighttime wayfinding, and Route 9 frontage properties not controlled by Urban Edge.
  • A board member noted that the Planning Board is the special permit granting authority for Shoppers World, allowing it to require a master-planned approach rather than case-by-case sign review.
  • Another board member questioned the placement of the BB1 sign on Burr Street/Constitution Road, said two proposed signs near Chick-fil-A appeared redundant, and worried a proposed identity sign opposite Flutie Pass could encourage wrong-way turns into a one-way exit.
  • A board member emphasized that the proposal must be analyzed against Framingham's sign bylaw, including height limits and waiver requests; the BB1 sign as proposed would be the largest in Framingham. He also asked the applicant to explain whether the prior approach of promoting Shoppers World as a destination without extensive tenant signage had failed, and requested an existing-to-proposed sign square footage matrix.
  • Another board member was puzzled by the BB1 location, disliked the large neon arrow, preferred a major Route 9 identity sign, asked about consolidating directional signs, and raised light pollution and lighting control concerns. One board member cited traffic volumes of about 40,000 vehicles per day on Route 9 and 27,000-30,000 on Route 30 to support a Route 9 landmark sign.
  • A board member supported smaller tenant identity signs as useful for a campus of this size, but cautioned against visual clutter and called for a clear square-footage comparison. The applicant said tenant panels would be designed to be uniform, with lease obligations for some large tenants as a potential exception.
• Applicant representatives responded that the BB1 sign was intended as an arrival statement to funnel regional visitors arriving from the Mass Pike, not to encourage an illegal turn; it could be resized. They defended the number of directional signs as necessary trail blazing for safe navigation. They said lighting can be controlled by timers and dimming, and some wayfinding signs would be reflective rather than illuminated.

Zoning and ADU Updates

• The board discussed upcoming city council and Planning and Zoning subcommittee work on a Waverly Street overlay district and possible CB district height changes. Board members agreed to attend the P&Z subcommittee Zoom meeting at 6 p.m. the following Monday to listen and compare proposals, while waiting for formal council direction before making a recommendation. One member cautioned about keeping any CB district changes consistent with state law.
• Board members reported that only two ADUs had been built under Framingham's local ADU bylaw, while more than 22 ADUs have been pursued under the newer state law. The city's housing stock is at 10.5 percent affordable, and ADUs count against that denominator. Board members expressed concern about owners attempting to condominiumize or separately sell ADUs to circumvent the two-family special permit requirement, and supported maintaining common-ownership requirements. One councillor is considering a home rule petition on how these ADUs affect the affordability count.
• The board also noted that a major modification or new application for Fountain Street is expected around November 2026, with prior mitigation conditions remaining in place.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 17, 2026 meeting minutes.
• Endorsed the ANR plan for 25, 29, and 29R Curve Street.
• Continued 101-105 Concord Street to October 15, 2026.
• Continued the Shoppers World signage discussion to November 5, 2026. The applicant will prepare an existing-vs-proposed sign square footage matrix, provide contextual renderings, and stake proposed sign locations. The board plans to hold a site visit/tour before the holidays.
• Board members agreed to attend the upcoming P&Z subcommittee meeting on the Waverly Street/CB district proposals.
• The board will continue monitoring ADU compliance, separate ownership/condominium conversions, and state zoning law compliance.