Drive-thru donut shop getting stale
Published on December 17th, 1997
STONEHAM, MA - The nearly four-year-old plan to construct a drive-thru Dunkin' Donuts on Lynn Fells Parkway in Stoneham was again addressed at Tuesday night's Board of Selectmen meeting, with the petitioner seeking an additional two-year extension to complete the project.
The original site plan approval for the project, dated April 26, 1994, called for construction of a two-story addition to an existing structure at 2 Lynn Fells Parkway, with the first floor accommodating a Dunkin' Donuts franchise, and the second floor being used as office space for the existing Sunoco gas station and Leda convenient store.
Attorney Charles Houghton, who represents the petitioner Adel Fadili, briefly summarized for the Board the history and status of the plan, in justifying the need for the two-year request for extension.
According to Houghton, the original site plan approval by the Board was contingent on MDC approval of road widening to accommodate the anticipated increase in traffic at the busy intersection of Lynn Fells Parkway and West Wyoming Avenue.
The Selectmen asserted at the time that in addition to alleviating traffic, the road widening would also enhance public safety. Approval by the MDC would be required since the roadway abuts MDC property.
The original site plan called for a two-year completion date. Subsequent opposition from abutters resulted in litigation which served to stall the plan.
Last February, the petitioner received a special permit for a one-year extension from the Planning Board due to the delay.
With the litigation issue settled, MDC approval has been sought, but not yet obtained, and according to Houghton, is not likely to happen in the timeframe necessary to comply with February 1998 extended deadline.
"We're getting ever closer," stated Houghton, but continued that "we won't be finished by February 7 of '98."
Fadili addressed the Board and stated that "ideally" he would have preferred the project started a few years ago, but that the previous problem with litigation, along with the current problem of "being at the mercy of the MDC" has prevented him from proceeding according to plan.
Fadili, who will be incurring the costs of widening the road once MDC approval is granted, advised the Board that he has already invested a "tremendous amount of money" for the project, but without the necessary MDC go-ahead, he cannot obtain a building permit.
The Board approved the two-year extension with Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello the only member voting in opposition.
In another site plan related matter, the Board moved approval on the request by Frank Walsh to amend his existing site plan.
Walsh obtained the Board's approval in June to build a storage facility at 49-59 Franklin Street for the storage of equipment and vehicles for his business, Walsh Landscaping.
On Tuesday, the petitioner sought to amend that site plan to allow for an additional 10 feet in the building's width.
Houghton, who represents Walsh, advised that the amendment was for the building's width only, and that no other changes to the site plan were being requested. He called the dimension change from a 36 foot x 48 foot structure to a 46 foot x 48 foot one "more convenient to the type of business" for which Walsh will be utilizing the building.
The Board's approval was unanimous.
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