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The proposed development at 972 Main St. is now out of the hands of the Planning Board, following a vote to approve a withdrawal of the plans by Treetop Group.
The board on Sept. 8 voted to approve the withdrawal following changes in the design. The development now becomes “by right,” in accordance with town zoning bylaws, meaning it will not follow the special permit review and approval process.
While the developers will not need a special permit, “by right” doesn’t mean no permits at all. Treetop Group must still follow the town’s building codes, pass inspections and receive the standard construction permits.
“No one should be forced to follow through on something they don’t want to follow through on,” said Planning Board member Brian Vernaglia, of the vote.
The members also approved a motion by Vernaglia that “changes between the original special permit and designs of Aug. 7, including parking, basement living and office space and changes in the percentage of open areas which conforms with zoning are not significant and authorize the planner to deal with these changes.”
The changes include having the basement for parking and not designated as living or office space.
“The proposal is not the same as what was approved in the special permit,” Vernaglia acknowledged. “I’m OK with that.”
Changes to the development were made after discussion was tabled at the Aug. 4 Planning Board meeting, which was in turn a continuation of the July 7 meeting, when most of the conversation was about turning radii in the parking garage.
In meetings dating back to at least June 2025, there have been discussions regarding various aspects of a new building on the site of an abandoned muffler shop, ranging from the dimensions of a building, its look, how it might fit into the neighborhood, landscaping around it, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, setbacks and buffer zones, indoor and outdoor parking and having a commercial establishment on the ground floor, among other things.
Discussion on Aug. 4 also included how a mid-April fire on the site is triggering requirements for environmental remediation by the state Department of Environmental Protection and that demolition of the building may uncover other issues.
Neil Zolot has been a freelance journalist more than 40 years. He has worked for newspapers on the North Shore and in the Boston area.
