The Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously on May 13 to approve a special permit for a proposed Terrain restaurant, event venue and retail shop at the former Whole Foods site at 297 and 311 Boston Post Rd.
Josh Fox, attorney with Rollins, Rollins & Fox and Dave Ziel, chief development officer of URBN (parent company of Terrain and Urban Outfitters), presented the proposal, which includes a 120-seat farm-to-table café, a 175-guest function room for weddings and private events and approximately 13,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor retail under the Terrain brand. The proposal does not alter the footprint of either existing building nor does it increase the impervious surface on the 3.4-acre site.
Fox emphasized that the restaurant use, including the function room, complies with the zoning bylaw’s definition and falls under Section 1102.1.1. Ziel described the development as a sustainability-driven adaptive reuse project, citing Terrain’s limited expansion history of only four locations in 17 years and the company’s practice of tailoring each site to community character. Ziel committed to maintaining access for residents during flood events and emphasized that the café, not the retail, would serve as the commercial anchor.
Civil engineer Maggie Laracy of Langan Engineering outlined a mixed-use parking analysis. Under her site plan analysis, the property requires 156 spaces when the restaurant and retail are both in use, and up to 205 when the restaurant and function space overlap. The site currently contains 184 marked spaces. Additional valet-only parking in the rear could support overflow needs. Laracy also presented trip generation data showing the proposed use would create fewer peak-hour vehicle trips than the previous Whole Foods and CVS combined.
While board members broadly supported the project’s reuse of a long-vacant site, abutters from Pelham Island Road raised concerns about traffic, sound and ecological disruption, especially in the nighttime. Residents requested that the board limit hours, prohibit tents and outdoor events, and conduct an independent peer review of traffic and parking calculations.
Elizabeth Russell Skehan of 101 Pelham Island Road argued that the function room is not a restaurant and described the parcel’s proximity to wetlands and nocturnal bird habitats, calling for a 9 p.m. closure and fencing to limit access along the property’s western edge. Lisa Ouradnik of 35 Jeffrey Road expressed support for the retail use but questioned the feasibility of the parking ratios and suggested the town commission an independent review before granting approval.
In response, Fox confirmed that outdoor amplified music, outdoor events and third-party vendor use of the parking lot were not proposed and would not occur. He also stated that while the site includes some undeveloped rear spaces, these would be reserved for overflow valet use only and not part of regular operations. Ziel reiterated the company’s willingness to work with the town or abutting businesses to secure supplemental parking agreements if necessary.
The ZBA deliberated conditions for a special permit for a restaurant under Section 1102.1and approved the application 5–0 concluding that the project met all criteria for a special permit for a restaurant under bylaw Section 1102.1, including that it was not detrimental to the neighborhood or public safety and was consistent with the intent of the zoning bylaw.
Eight conditions were attached to the approval including no outdoor amplification, no food trucks or farmer’s markets in the parking lot, and no right turns after 9 PM on Pelham Island Road. The restaurant’s operating hours were specified, with the cafe extending into the event space only on Mother’s Day.
The applicant must obtain all necessary approvals and construct the project in substantial conformity with the approved plans. The panel members, including Justine Paul, Hunter Perry, Adam Hirsh, Thomas White and Aida Gennis, agreed on these conditions.
White will author the board’s formal decision with Fox to assist in drafting the decision. Once filed, a 20-day appeal period begins before the applicant may proceed to secure building permits. URBN representatives said they hope to open by Mother’s Day 2026.
Other May 13 ZBA actions:
7 Sycamore Rd.
Carl Harvey & Cynthia Turner
Approved for a special permit and finding to reconstruct a retaining wall currently extending over the property line. The new wall will be built entirely within the applicants’ property.
31 Center St.
Casey Carroll
Approved for a second-story addition expanding gross floor area by more than 20%. Health and building department approvals still required.
13 Pelham Island Rd.
Wayland Pediatrics (via Sign Systems)
Approved a rear-facing 3.33-square-foot wall sign to identify the main entrance. The Design Review Board memo was acknowledged and incorporated.
10 White Pine Knoll Rd.
Uchi Naco Okamura
Continued to June 10. The application seeks a special permit and potential variance for a garage and second-floor master suite. The applicant requested a continuance verbally; the hearing was not opened.
