Planning Board approves de minimis modification to allow one‑bedroom at 22 South Street

The Town of Westborough Planning Board voted to grant a de minimis modification to the Downtown Planning Overlay special permit (DPOD‑2012‑1) for 22 South Street, allowing the conversion of the remaining front portion of an existing office into a one‑bedroom apartment.

Applicant Spiro Kelly told the board, “I’m here to request, for the remaining front part of my current office to be converted into a 1 bedroom apartment,” and asked that the board amend the special permit to permit the change. Staff and board members confirmed the property has sewer allocation for the additional residential unit.

The board’s motion to approve the modification included conditions that all terms and conditions of the original site‑plan decision remain in force unless modified, that the applicant record the decision at the Worcester Registry of Deeds and submit proof of recording before starting site activity, and that the approval be limited to the modifications shown on the site plan prepared by Spiro Kelly dated 11/30/2021 (revised 02/01/2024). The board seconded the motion and approved the request; the meeting record does not state a roll‑call tally in the transcript excerpt.

The decision includes a written rationale that the affordable‑housing component described in subsection 4.7(f) of the zoning bylaw does not apply to this proposed project because that obligation applies to proposals of five or more units; the board referenced related zoning provisions, including section 6.4(d)(2) and the DPOD decision dated December 2020.

The applicant thanked the board after the vote. The planning board closed this item and moved on to staff reports and other business.