Planning Board Working Group to Consider Great Road Business District Proposals on October 17

Compiled by The Bedford Citizen

Zoning consultants RKG will meet with the Planning Board and its Working Group at 7:30 pm on October 17 to discuss a first draft of recommended new zoning bylaws for the business areas along The Great Road corridor. This work comes out of the studies, discussions and public forum that have been held since last fall. Click this link to view the proposal under consideration.

The approach being put forward is to define a Great Road District (which extends along The Great Road and then into North Road at Willson Park). There are four sub-districts, each with slightly differing requirements. These areas match the four slideshows of the business areas that are available for viewing on our Great Road Zoning Project (GRZP) webpage: the North Road area, the Center Historic area, the Marketplace area and the Great Road Shopping Center area. Dimensional rules, development standards and use regulations have been drafted for each. Proposed parking requirements are also included in the document.

According to the draft proposal, the main purposes of the Great Road District would be to:

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  • Encourage a mix of commercial, residential, institutional, and civic uses in a physical arrangement that is safe for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic;
  • Promote the economic vitality of Great Road’s business areas;
  • Create, maintain, and enhance areas appropriate for small- and moderate-scale, single- and multi-use buildings that support a variety of retail and service uses, the arts and creative economy and supporting creative enterprises and commercial activities;
  • Continue to have varied development patterns and building forms along Great Road so as to avoid excessive uniformity in appearance;
  • Provide for housing above and next to commercial space; and
  • Promote shared access and appropriate links to adjoining properties.

At the October 17 meeting, the Board will also discuss a date for a second public forum, which will solicit feedback on these ideas.

NOTE: Zoning changes require Town Meeting approval (with a 2/3 majority) and the aim is to bring proposals to the March 2018 Annual Town Meeting.

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