Board extends decision deadline and continues hearing for 352 Turnpike Road site plan

The Southborough Planning Board voted on Feb. 23 to extend the decision deadline and continue the public hearing on the major site plan for 352 Turnpike Road, a proposed residential and service use by Disability Assistance & Vocational Education Inc.

Attorney George Bonnet, representing the applicant, said he had provided a lighting plan and other follow-up materials requested by the board and that the project team had identified no outstanding design issues beyond conditioning a third-party sprinkler-system review. "Marnie had a chance to review [the lighting plan] and she said that it looks, quote, ‘good to go,’" Bonnet said, urging that any third-party review be deferred to the building permit stage to avoid unnecessary cost if the project does not advance.

Board members agreed that conditioning the third-party sprinkler review at the building-permit stage is customary and appropriate. The board also asked the applicant to identify the specific lights they would request be maintained 24/7 near building entrances; Bonnet agreed to supply a marked plan ahead of the next meeting.

Planning member Marnie Houlihan moved to extend the decision deadline for the 352 Turnpike Road Major Site Plan Approval to March 27, 2026, and to continue the public hearing to March 9 at 6:45 p.m. The motion was seconded, and the roll-call vote was recorded as "all in favor" (Littrell/Julian/Demirian/Rasher/Zelniak recorded as voting yes). The board will follow up with the fire department and finalize draft decision language for review.

Next steps: applicant to provide a lighting plan identifying proposed 24/7 lights; staff to solicit the fire department's position on conditioning the third-party sprinkler review; hearing to reconvene March 9.