Selectmen and ZBA Discuss Proposed Restaurant at 120 The Great Road

An architect's proposal for the restaurant at 120 The Great Road - Courtesy image
An architect’s concept drawing for a proposed restaurant at 120 The Great Road. The narrow end of the building with the porch and hayloft door would face The Great Road – Courtesy image

By Joan Bowen

At their meeting on January 20, the Selectmen discussed an open request to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for a special permit to allow a restaurant at 120 Great Road.  The Bedford Zoning By-Law requires such a permit within the Limited Business district.  The permit has been requested by attorney Pamela Brown and her brothers Kenneth Brown and Nathaniel K. Brown, Jr., as members of the 120 Great Road LLC.

Editor’s Note:  120 Great Road is located next to 110 Great Road, on the right as you approach the Bedford Common.  It is identifiable by the red house at the back of the property with green space in front.

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Chair Margot Fleischman stated that as a continuance of a December 18 hearing of the permit request, the hearing would be reconvened on Thursday evening, January 22. She asked for comments from the Selectmen. Before opening the discussion, she pointed out the information that was included in the application:

  • The proposed new building will provide for a 5,000 square foot restaurant which will offer both sit down and take-out services.
  • The preliminary plan will include the utilization of the adjacent property at 110 Great Road (Brown and Brown office building, aka Domine Manse) to provide shared parking and circulation.

In the discussion that followed, the Selectmen expressed concern about the plan to use the two properties to meet the requirements for parking and circulation.  The property at 110 Great Road is one of a limited number of historical sites within town which identifies a set of concerns regarding the plans.  Equally important, if it were used to provide parking for the adjacent property, the Selectmen question what might happen if one of the properties were sold separately by the current or future owners.  The conclusion of the discussion was that any development should be limited by the amount of parking available on the 120 Great Road property.

Additionally, the Selectmen question that a restaurant is appropriate to the neighborhood.  This concern is based on the traffic flow in and out of restaurant parking during peak dining hours on an already congested road.  Incremental noise is also a concern, given the residences in the area.  Chair Fleischman said that she would attend the ZBA hearing and share the Selectmen’s concerns with the ZBA.

At the January 22  ZBA hearing on the proposed restaurant, Pamela Brown presented additional information addressing questions and concerns that were raised at the initial hearing in December.  She opened her comments by stating that she is pleased by the positive response she is receiving for the concept of a restaurant on the site. 

Brown explained that the concept of a restaurant on the site is the result of an inquiry from Café Luigi, currently located at the Bedford Marketplace. 

Luigi’s identified the property as a good potential site in its search for a location for a free-standing building and initiated discussion.  However, there is no contract to date, and thus no certainty that Luigi’s will lease the space if it is built.

In response to questions at the initial hearing, Brown presented additional information on the preliminary concept for the design of the building.  To complement the Domine Manse (110 Great Road), currently the offices of Brown & Brown, the plan is to construct a barn-style building.  She consulted with an architect attuned to historically accurate design for a concept drawing which she distributed.  It incorporates dormers, cupolas, and multiple windows.

The building, a 5,000 square foot rectangle, will be oriented lengthwise near the property line between 120 and 110 Great Road.  It will be built with a single floor but a second floor could be added at a later date, possibly for offices.  There will be a basement for utilities.  The design will include a patio for outside dining.  The plan for the property is to leave the house, currently located at the back of the plot, for rental or potential later development as a shop.

The entry to the restaurant will face the parking area located at 110 Great Road.  Designated parking will be provided for the take-out service, part of the prospective tenant’s operating plan.  Automobile entry to the property will be at 110 Great Road with some widening of the current driveway and moving it slightly to the left.  Responding to a later question about parking capacity for high volume hours, particularly lunch time, Brown responded that the owners would be able to provide additional parking across the street. 

Comments and questions from members of the ZBA focused on parking, traffic and the neighborhood impact.  The hearing was opened for comments from other attendees.  Selectmen Fleischman, who serves as the Selectmen Liaison to the ZBA, shared the comments from her board.  Jeff Cohen and Amy Lloyd, both members of the Planning Board, reported that while their board has taken no official position, there are concerns about a potential detrimental impact on the neighborhood, parking capacity and the building size.

Frank Cargiuolo, resident of 24 Hillside Avenue, told the ZBA that he is confident that the concerns about noise and lighting he raised at the earlier hearing will be addressed by the owners.  As a neighbor, he has no objection to a restaurant at 120 The Great Road. 

The ZBA proposed a continuance of the hearing to February 26.  ZBA Chair Angelo Colasante said that he anticipates that, if the ZBA approves a permit for restaurant use, there will be a set of conditions attached.  He asked the owners to be prepared to provide additional information including the hours of operation, information on take- out service (volume, parking accommodations), plans for the existing home, trash pick-up and deliveries, and more specific information on parking capacity.  Brown agreed and the hearing was closed.

With approval of a permit, there will be additional steps that will be necessary before construction could begin.  Approval by the Planning Board and the Historic District Committee will be necessary.  The decision to start with the ZBA for the special permit was an economic one.  The owners do not do not want to invest in design without the approval of restaurant use.

Historical Note: In the early 1950s, the owner of the Domine Manse operated a “white napkin,” sit-down restaurant.

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Bedford Townie
January 30, 2015 11:36 pm

That site looks way too small for what they have planned, good effort though!

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