Council approves Starbucks special-permit conditions, adds traffic-monitoring power

The Woburn City Council reviewed and accepted a list of conditions Feb. 20 for a modified special permit allowing a Starbucks at 369 Washington Street. Attorney Joseph Tabby (name appears with variant spellings in the record) told the council the revised site plan and mitigation measures (including no drive-thru, bollards for outdoor dining, dumpster enclosures, signage compliance, defined hours and on-site improvements) addressed prior concerns from staff and fire officials.

Attorney Tabby described a set of 10 conditions, including reliance on the site plan of record (last revised Dec. 14, 2023), hours of operation (5 a.m. to 11 p.m.), requirements for bollards or a protective wall for outdoor dining, and a prohibition on a drive-thru. The council adopted the working proposed conditions after a motion to accept them.

Councilor Boomer proposed an additional Condition 11 that would give the city council the right to require the petitioner to consider alternate measures at the site’s curb cut if there is a significant increase in vehicular conflicts from left turns, and to request updated crash data from the city traffic division. Councilor Boomer said, "In the event there is a significant increase in vehicular...resulting from left turns into and out of the site driveway on Washington Street, the city council will have the right to require the petitioner to consider alternative measures at said curb cut." The council voted to adopt that language. Attorney Tabby indicated that the petitioner agreed to the condition.

The transcript records acceptance of the proposed conditions and adoption of the additional traffic-monitoring language by voice votes. The record shows the council intends to monitor traffic and revisit mitigation measures if future data indicate problems.