Three Motions on Cornerstone at Planning Board Meeting

As construction continues near the intersection of Boston and Littleton Road for the expected fall opening of the Cornerstone Square complex, the development became the focus of several agenda items at Tuesday’s Planning Board meeting.

The evening of Cornerstone from its initial hearings in 2011 to the present, with discussion quickly divided into opposing opinions between Planning Board member Dennis Galvin and Chairman Michael Green.

Galvin believed that the project had outgrown its original permits, citing concerns over evolving traffic projections relating to the project and worries that Massachusetts Department of Transportation pledges to expand Boston Road may be unfulfilled.

Meanwhile, Green challenged Galvin’s arguments, citing town staff comments that while no final determination on Mass DOT contributions had been made due to the third lane of the expansion still being out for design, and the funding was likely to be given once design of the lane had been completed.

Green also stated that the primary impact on traffic at Boston and Littleton Road, better known as Minot’s Corner, would not be Cornerstone, but projects throughout the Littleton Road corridor, particularly the project at Tech Park West.

After more than an hour of back and forth on topics relating to the evolution of the project, a move by Galvin to ask the town’s building inspector to issue a cease and desist order on the development was defeated by a 3-2 vote, with Galvin and Kate Hollister voting for the motion.

The meeting also included two more motions.

First, a request to remove the requirement that the development’s Building B have two stories was unanimously approved, after it had been .

This was followed by a request to simplify future amendments to the project’s special permits, which passed 4-1, with Galvin opposing.

Discussion on amendments to the site’s special permits specifically relating lighting of signs was tabled until Feb. 6, and an entrance that would have connected the on the corner of Littleton and Boston Roads to Cornerstone was withdrawn.