Connoisseurs seeks 43,179 sq ft addition, more loading docks; council asks fire department review and continues hearing to May 21

Attorney Joseph Taube and project engineers told the Woburn City Council that Connoisseurs seeks special permits to expand its facility at 17 Presidential Way by roughly 43,179 net square feet, increase loading docks from four to seven, and modify site parking and stormwater controls.

Taube told the council that the applicant revised its site plan after a building‑commissioner recommendation and that the revised plan now meets the required parking counts. "We have submitted a revised site plan ... and by doing so, we have now complied with the required parking," Taube said. The presentation listed an existing 192 parking spaces, proposed additions and adjustments that the applicant said would produce about 223 spaces after modifications.

Project engineer Matt Connors (Hancock Associates) walked the council through site plans, noting the rear area was originally graded for expansion and that the proposal would add parking, a retaining wall and stormwater improvements. He described a proposed 20‑foot emergency fire access surfaced with a geotextile honeycomb system filled with stone and topped with topsoil and grass; he said the material is H-20-rated and has a decades-long record of use. "It's rated for greater than H 20 loading, which is larger than fire vehicles," Connors said.

Councilors asked technical questions about the grass-stabilized fire access: how deep the sub‑base would be, whether hydrants should be added, and whether the surface would reliably support large fire trucks in wet conditions. Councilor Viola asked whether hydrants could be added in the rear for easier fire‑department access. Connors said the site already has hydrants and that the building is sprinkled, and said the team would consult with the fire chief to ensure the approach meets operational needs.

The council voted to request a communication from the fire department addressing the 20‑foot wide grass fire access route and the potential need for a rear hydrant, and to continue the public hearing and send the matter to the committee on special permits for further review; the hearing was rescheduled for a meeting on May 21, 2024.