[Ed note: My Southborough accepts signed letters to the editor submitted by Southborough residents. Letters may be emailed to mysouthborough@gmail.com.
The following letter is from Planning Board member Alan Belniak.]
To the Editor:
On Monday, September 15, the Planning Board is holding a special, off-cycle meeting for one agenda item: a Proposed Zoning Amendment – to add Highway Major Retail to §174-2.B Definitions and as a use requiring a Special Permit under §174-8.6 Industrial Park District.
Put another way, the Planning Board is considering specific text for a zoning article to make it in time onto the warrant for this upcoming October Special Town Meeting.
The Select Board and Planning Board have been approached because there is interest from a third party to use the former Dell/EMC land on the eastbound side of Route 9 near Coslin Drive. The item at hand is to consider re-zoning it to allow for other uses – uses in this case that would create a substantial tax benefit for Southborough, not paid for by the residents. It’s worth noting that what is being discussed at this time is not a project permit or even a project at all of any sort. It’s merely a discussion to re-zone the land to even consider, permit, or allow different land use types.
Unfortunately, I cannot attend this special off-cycle Planning Board meeting because I have a work meeting. I have sent in a letter stating my opinion as a Planning Board member as of Sunday September 14 to Southborough’s Town Planner, with a request that it get read into the record. Below is a copy of that text.
The meeting about this very issue is Monday evening (September 15), starting at 6:30 PM. It is virtual only. There are no other items on the agenda. And there will be an opportunity for public comment (no matter which side of the coin you are on).
You can get the join details here:
https://www.southboroughma.gov/674/Virtual-Meetings (should be the second item down)
Or
Go to https://zoom.us/join and enter 857 6349 4531 for the ID (and 417411 for the passcode, if prompted).
Please accept this letter as my opinion on the proposed zoning text amendment for our meeting on Monday, September 15, 2025. I can’t attend in person or remote via Zoom due to a work meeting, but I want to make sure my views are clear and heard.
I strongly urge my fellow Planning Board members to really look at the amazing chance we have here and embrace it. This isn’t about a specific project, but it’s a key step to allow a future great project to happen. This piece of land has been empty and unused for more years than I can count! The proponent sees its huge potential, and it’s very likely they already have a strong retail tenant lined up. A development like this could greatly lower the tax burden on our residents by bringing our residential-to-commercial tax split closer to 80/20.
The proponent has been very flexible and willing to work with the Town on the proposed zoning language. They have consistently respected the Planning Board’s initial concerns, carefully changing the text to address issues and build agreement. What’s before us tonight is another compromise from them in light of last week’s Planning Board meeting, showing their commitment to finding common ground.
Time is truly important here. As we know, the proponent is pushing to get this article on this upcoming Special Town Meeting warrant. I suspect that any potential tenants, given today’s competitive market, will likely look elsewhere if this zoning update opportunity is delayed. While I don’t want this board, including myself, to give in to unfair pressure, I honestly believe the proponent has listened closely to the concerns raised by both the Select Board and the Planning Board. They are now offering language that would create the ‘right’ spot for the types of businesses they know, which would definitely benefit our community.
In short, we all know no zoning bylaw is perfect. However, this proponent’s proposal clearly shows the real value of these parcels. Southborough may not get many more chances like this to significantly grow its non-residential tax base if we do not re-zone these valuable parcels strategically located along Route 9. I strongly encourage our Board to carefully consider the big, long-term benefits this amendment could bring to our community, boosting our economy and financial stability for years to come.
Respectfully,
Alan Belniak
Member, Southborough Planning Board
