October 13, 2026 – Zoning Board of Appeals – Video & Transcript
October 13, 2026 - Zoning Board of Appeals
Hi, good evening. This is the October 13, 2026 meeting of the Wayland Zone Board of Appeals. This meeting may be recorded and, if recorded, will be made available to the public in WACAM as soon after the meeting as practical.
The public will be excluded from any executive sessions. Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025, this meeting will be conducted in person and via remote access in accordance with applicable law. If the meeting has only remote access, no in-person attendance by members of the public will be permitted. That's obviously not the case this evening. The link for the remote access for the meeting is available on the agenda.
If required by law or allowed by the chair, persons wishing to provide public comment or otherwise participate in the meeting may do so at the location. Public comment should be limited to two minutes per person. So with that, do we have any public comment this evening that's not related to the specific cases?
I don't think there is, and I don't see anyone online for that. So the next item on the agenda is, has anyone had a chance to review and approve the draft minutes from September 8th and September 17th? Yes. Questions? Comments? No.
I'd make a motion that we approve and finalize the draft minutes from September 8th and September 17th. Second. All right, so we'll do this by a ball call. So, Ms. Janice? Aye. Mr. Perry? Aye. Mr. Hirsch? Aye. Mr. White, aye. So both those sets of meeting minutes are approved. So with that, let's bring us to our first case tonight.
This is the continuation of ZVAK's 26-12 for 22 Stonebridge Road. This is the continuation of the application of Robert Haskins for the property located at 22 Stonebridge Road concerning an existing accessory structure located between the principal dwelling and the street. The Board will continue his review of the application and any zoning relief required based on the submission of additional documentation available. So we have a letter actually from
The applicant, Mr. Hoskins, asking for, Haskins, asking for an additional continuance. So he's not able to attend the meeting tonight. So the next meeting is, I want to double check. November 10th. Okay. So I'd make a motion that we continue ZVA case 26-12.
To 705 on November 10th, 2026. I assume by a roll call vote. Ms. Janice? Aye. Mr. Perry? Aye. Mr. Hirsch? Aye. Mr. White? Aye. So that case is continued to the November 10th hearing.
The next item is our 705 case. This is ZBA case 26-20 for 373 Commonwealth Road, Wayland. This is a request to withdraw without prejudice. This is the application of 373 Commonwealth Road Residences, LLC, to modify the existing Chapter 40B approval for the 52 unit residential development by changing the housing tenure from rental apartments to condominiums for individual ownership.
Proposed modification was determined to constitute a substantial change at the Board's September 17th interim discussion. The applicant has requested to withdraw the application without prejudice. I see no reason to discuss this any further. Anyone else on the Board have any questions about this withdrawal application? Nope. All right. So I'd make a motion that...
The Board accepts the applicant's withdrawal, and we'll grant that without prejudice for Case 26-20 at 373, Commonwealth Road. Second. Very good. So by roll call, Ms. Jenis? Aye. Mr. Perry? Aye. Mr. Hirsch? Aye. Mr. White? Aye. So that is withdrawn. So seeing if we can...
We're 717, so we can go on to our next case. This is the 715 case for ZBA case 26-19 for 105 Plain Road. This is also a request for withdrawal. This is the application of Alexander and Nathaniel Folds for the property located at 105 Plain Road.
In the R-60 zoning district, the applicant seeks a special permit or other zoning ready for the construction of a shed on their property located 3 feet and 6 inches from the rear, 3 feet and 6 feet from the rear and side property lines, respectively, where 10 feet is required. The lot is subject to a conservation cluster special permit issued by the Wayland Planning Board. The applicant is requesting to withdraw the application. Not withdraw, without prejudice, just withdraw. So...
The Board wouldn't be able to grant it because it's in a conservation cluster and it turned out where they want to locate it, it would be on the review of the planning board to adjust the decision. So it doesn't matter. Perfect. So I make a motion that the ZBA accepts the applicant's request for withdrawal for case 26-19 at 105 Plain Road. Second.
By roll call, Ms. Janice. Aye. Mr. Perry. Aye. Mr. Hirsh, Aye. Mr. White, Aye. That is it. So that application is withdrawn. So there are only two other things to discuss tonight. This is an if there are any updates from the building commissioner. So we have two things listed here. One is the reapplication of a part which.
Which has a Planning Board discussion on October 7th. And then the Mass General Laws Chapter 48 training, which we did discuss briefly. So just to bring you up to speed, Hunter, we had settled on two potential dates for the ZBA training, starting with that one first. One was November 9th and one was November 23rd. It sounds like the consensus is...
People prefer the 23rd. So does that date still work for you? That should be fine. What time is everyone thinking? I don't think we have settled on a time. We said it's some point between 3 and 7. I can only do it from 4.30 on. On the 23rd? Any day, really. Okay. So sometime between 4.30 and 7 on the 23rd. Okay. Would it be probably about an hour session? Is that...
I would say so. Yeah, it should be an hour, yeah. Personally, yeah, a little later would probably be better for me. Like, say, if it was six to seven, that would be ideal for me, but... That works for me. That works for you, Aida? Yeah, that works. Okay. All right. Cancel that in? Cancel that in, right. Awesome. Do you have to check with Town Council and Nina? Well, I think those dates were from...
Yeah, but nothing changed. Yeah. Great. We don't have anything really too much else, but I do see someone here from the public and I wanted to. Is there any given opportunity to speak?
Sure, sure. Yeah, I mean, you know, I know we asked for public comment in the beginning, but... But that wasn't against...
Anything that was happening for tonight, I'm guessing it's here for a second. True, but we did continue it, so we can't really hear anything, but you did show up. You're the only person that showed up, so I do want to give you the opportunity if you have a question or something you're interested in. I guess it's just a procedural question, and I'm Kevin O'Leary from 38 Stoneway Drive, case number 2612, 22 Stoneway Drive. Yes. I think several months ago the board requested that the...
applicant or petitioner for a variance submit a certified survey as bill plan, and there's been nothing performed on that request by the board, and now we're into another continuance, and the board didn't have any discussion why he was continuing. We don't necessarily have to. If an applicant requests a continuance,
We grant continuances all the time, and the applicant simply sitting with unable to attend a meeting tonight. But yeah, we don't have any additional materials, so there's no update on this case at this point. My question is, how long does that go on, though? I mean, because you could do that again and again and again and again. I don't know if there's a limit to how many times someone can continue something. I believe the chair can call a... Oh.
You can call as far as you're going to give one more and that's it. No more continuances. So it sounds like you have our discretion. Yeah, set your discretion to say you have one more opportunity to present your case or else we're going to not hear you anymore. Okay, fine. Well, it's good to know. So he's on his fourth continuance. I believe it's the third. I believe it is the third. It means the third. Yeah.
Yeah, two dates. Yeah, two dates. I think it's the third one. I think we'll have to see what he comes with and what happens at the next meeting before a decision can be made. What if he asked for another continuance? We'll have to see what it... I could decide to not grant it. I don't know. I have not given it any thought. I want to just triple check that with Town Council just to be sure I'm not going to make a procedural. I just don't think we can give an answer tonight on how many continuances. No, I don't know the answer. But you'll seek an answer for the next hearing? I will get confirmation for the next hearing. Okay. We make no promises. Assuming I can get confirmation. So there is no darkness? I want you to do whatever saying you're looking for. I can't speak to that. I'm just following the case along. No, totally understandable. Looking for the procedure to happen. Later, but I understand. And, you know, it's a residential property. It's not, you know, a commercial business proposition. So it's, you know, it's appropriate to cut slack wherever you can, wherever you can justify it. But, you know, here we are going on to our floor continuums. We'll see if we can get an answer. Hopefully we'll be able to screen it out the next one. Thanks very much. Sure. Absolutely. Thank you for joining us. So do we have an update on the application with Park Bridge? It's listed on here as a discussion. I'll let Anita take it because she spoke to the town planner on this. Yeah, I just wanted to put it on there because they... Originally planned a discussion on October 7th, but they only had a quorum of four planning board members, so the applicants prefer to have like the full quorum of five. So we continued it, so we don't, it's continued for October 21st, so we have no update. I'm trying to remember what case this was. I recognize an address. It was the case that was denied by the ZBA. Oh, okay. That's why I remember it. So they petitioned to reapply to the Board, so they have to go to the Planning Board and to ZBA again to have a modified plan. And if the modification is significant, they can reapply. for a special permit again, and if they don't, then they're not. So this was the large house on the small parcel? Correct. And you asked for a design change, but then did not grant that? Correct. So they need to go in front of the planning board for a determination from them, and then once they meet and make a determination, then it will come back to the ZPO. Okay. Okay. We have updated. Give her updated status. Okay, so I accepted a promotion, so I'm now planning and zoning project manager. Here in Wayland. Yes. Yes. I accepted a promotion. I was waiting for her to say, yeah. Well, it was Sunday that's fine. Sorry, I figured we were okay. Yeah, no. So, to be full-time in our office again. So, congrats. Very exciting. That's very exciting. Yeah. Yes. Thank you for staying with Wayland. Yeah. Thank you for not failing. So it's very exciting. Yeah. So she's done great. She's really improved. And you've seen her results and the efficiency. And there's been very minor miscues of any sort with zoning. And she's very thorough. And you guys are well-informed. So it's nice. This is fantastic. We're running like a well-oiled machine at this point. It's exciting. No jinx us. Where's the world?
That's good. So I just want to inform the board that I will be stepping down as interim commissioner. Mr. Zupa has passed his commissioner's test, so he will be assuming the commissioner's role for the Town of Wayland starting at the end of the week. And I will be retiring in March. So I will... A double dip for you guys. I'm stepping down to my last CBA meeting, an easy one. And then I'm going to retire in March. After 11 years. So this is a good evening. Yeah. Yeah. So we got the happy consent. So it's been a pleasure working with you guys. And we've had some very interesting cases. Yes. And challenging cases. And your thoroughness and thoughtfulness and debate over all these has been great. And I know that everyone appreciates all your efforts. And I do, too. And it's always a learning experience. You can't know everything, but you try to. So looking forward to my next chapter. And Mr. Zupa is very well-versed in zoning and code. Your head might be spinning here a few times, here and there, but you will have the answers for you. Great. Thank you. Congratulations. We're sorry to see you go. Well, you'll be with us for the next five hearings, right? Next five months. No, I'm done tonight. Tom will be stepping in. Oh, so he'll be joining us. He'll be joining. He could have had an easy one tonight to ease into. He's going to come right into some difficult stuff. Yeah. Wait a minute. Didn't you say you're retiring in March? Yes, but Tom is going to be acting commissioner. So I've been interim commissioner for the Town of Wayland for almost two and a half years. Retirements and people being let go. So I've earned my badge. So I go back to being a local, which I don't have a commissioner's license, but I'm pretty well versed in everything. And so it's nice to take a step back and do my thing. Okay. Great. Well, yeah, I mean, it's been, as I said, you know, I told you this before when I told this to Anina, like having both of you over these past period of time has been incredible. It's like made the board function so much better. And the fact that you come to all the meetings is incredibly helpful because every meeting, there's kind of a question we have to ask you. And, you know, in the past, we haven't had the benefit of having, you know, the commissioner attend the meetings. So it's been incredible that you've been able to join us. So I'm excited for you, but sad that you will be leaving. Well, bittersweet, but high march is on. So can I ask one more thing? Will we find you in the office when you're not sitting here as the interim commissioner? Yes, I'll be here till March. Okay, okay. I'll still be in the building, yes. Okay. Just checking. Yeah. Still be around. All right. It's a lot to absorb in, you know, the last five minutes here. Okay. I got a good replacement for you. I got the best staff in the world for you. And, you know, and I'll be in the background, you know, Tom and I talk a lot about Tom, Zuba, and I. You, Tom. Yeah, I know I've talked to you many times. We talk a lot and we go over stuff and actually looking to maybe get OpenGov. I mean, the application on OpenGov, our permitting process available in the future, which would have to be designed, but some other towns do it and it'd be a good avenue to possibly entertain. So we actually were discussing that today. That will help streamline things a little bit better. And we talked about some fee changes and structure also today, and that will be forthcoming also. So little baby steps, improvements to make things better and make stuff happen. Great. Thank you. Great. Sounds good. Thank you for that. Thank you for the update. I should probably ask if Mr. Hirsch has a motion. I do, but I want to kind of get it out there before, you know, we have any more announcements or anything like that, so I want to double check. Do we have anything else that anybody? No one else has anything to say. That's enough for one night. Yeah. Second. Aye. Aye. Aye. Mr. Hirsch. Aye. Aye. We are adjourned. Thank you, everyone.
Yeah, two dates. Yeah, two dates. I think it's the third one. I think we'll have to see what he comes with and what happens at the next meeting before a decision can be made. What if he asked for another continuance? We'll have to see what it... I could decide to not grant it. I don't know. I have not given it any thought. I want to just triple check that with Town Council just to be sure I'm not going to make a procedural. I just don't think we can give an answer tonight on how many continuances. No, I don't know the answer. But you'll seek an answer for the next hearing? I will get confirmation for the next hearing. Okay. We make no promises. Assuming I can get confirmation. So there is no darkness? I want you to do whatever saying you're looking for. I can't speak to that. I'm just following the case along. No, totally understandable. Looking for the procedure to happen. Later, but I understand. And, you know, it's a residential property. It's not, you know, a commercial business proposition. So it's, you know, it's appropriate to cut slack wherever you can, wherever you can justify it. But, you know, here we are going on to our floor continuums. We'll see if we can get an answer. Hopefully we'll be able to screen it out the next one. Thanks very much. Sure. Absolutely. Thank you for joining us. So do we have an update on the application with Park Bridge? It's listed on here as a discussion. I'll let Anita take it because she spoke to the town planner on this. Yeah, I just wanted to put it on there because they... Originally planned a discussion on October 7th, but they only had a quorum of four planning board members, so the applicants prefer to have like the full quorum of five. So we continued it, so we don't, it's continued for October 21st, so we have no update. I'm trying to remember what case this was. I recognize an address. It was the case that was denied by the ZBA. Oh, okay. That's why I remember it. So they petitioned to reapply to the Board, so they have to go to the Planning Board and to ZBA again to have a modified plan. And if the modification is significant, they can reapply. for a special permit again, and if they don't, then they're not. So this was the large house on the small parcel? Correct. And you asked for a design change, but then did not grant that? Correct. So they need to go in front of the planning board for a determination from them, and then once they meet and make a determination, then it will come back to the ZPO. Okay. Okay. We have updated. Give her updated status. Okay, so I accepted a promotion, so I'm now planning and zoning project manager. Here in Wayland. Yes. Yes. I accepted a promotion. I was waiting for her to say, yeah. Well, it was Sunday that's fine. Sorry, I figured we were okay. Yeah, no. So, to be full-time in our office again. So, congrats. Very exciting. That's very exciting. Yeah. Yes. Thank you for staying with Wayland. Yeah. Thank you for not failing. So it's very exciting. Yeah. So she's done great. She's really improved. And you've seen her results and the efficiency. And there's been very minor miscues of any sort with zoning. And she's very thorough. And you guys are well-informed. So it's nice. This is fantastic. We're running like a well-oiled machine at this point. It's exciting. No jinx us. Where's the world?
That's good. So I just want to inform the board that I will be stepping down as interim commissioner. Mr. Zupa has passed his commissioner's test, so he will be assuming the commissioner's role for the Town of Wayland starting at the end of the week. And I will be retiring in March. So I will... A double dip for you guys. I'm stepping down to my last CBA meeting, an easy one. And then I'm going to retire in March. After 11 years. So this is a good evening. Yeah. Yeah. So we got the happy consent. So it's been a pleasure working with you guys. And we've had some very interesting cases. Yes. And challenging cases. And your thoroughness and thoughtfulness and debate over all these has been great. And I know that everyone appreciates all your efforts. And I do, too. And it's always a learning experience. You can't know everything, but you try to. So looking forward to my next chapter. And Mr. Zupa is very well-versed in zoning and code. Your head might be spinning here a few times, here and there, but you will have the answers for you. Great. Thank you. Congratulations. We're sorry to see you go. Well, you'll be with us for the next five hearings, right? Next five months. No, I'm done tonight. Tom will be stepping in. Oh, so he'll be joining us. He'll be joining. He could have had an easy one tonight to ease into. He's going to come right into some difficult stuff. Yeah. Wait a minute. Didn't you say you're retiring in March? Yes, but Tom is going to be acting commissioner. So I've been interim commissioner for the Town of Wayland for almost two and a half years. Retirements and people being let go. So I've earned my badge. So I go back to being a local, which I don't have a commissioner's license, but I'm pretty well versed in everything. And so it's nice to take a step back and do my thing. Okay. Great. Well, yeah, I mean, it's been, as I said, you know, I told you this before when I told this to Anina, like having both of you over these past period of time has been incredible. It's like made the board function so much better. And the fact that you come to all the meetings is incredibly helpful because every meeting, there's kind of a question we have to ask you. And, you know, in the past, we haven't had the benefit of having, you know, the commissioner attend the meetings. So it's been incredible that you've been able to join us. So I'm excited for you, but sad that you will be leaving. Well, bittersweet, but high march is on. So can I ask one more thing? Will we find you in the office when you're not sitting here as the interim commissioner? Yes, I'll be here till March. Okay, okay. I'll still be in the building, yes. Okay. Just checking. Yeah. Still be around. All right. It's a lot to absorb in, you know, the last five minutes here. Okay. I got a good replacement for you. I got the best staff in the world for you. And, you know, and I'll be in the background, you know, Tom and I talk a lot about Tom, Zuba, and I. You, Tom. Yeah, I know I've talked to you many times. We talk a lot and we go over stuff and actually looking to maybe get OpenGov. I mean, the application on OpenGov, our permitting process available in the future, which would have to be designed, but some other towns do it and it'd be a good avenue to possibly entertain. So we actually were discussing that today. That will help streamline things a little bit better. And we talked about some fee changes and structure also today, and that will be forthcoming also. So little baby steps, improvements to make things better and make stuff happen. Great. Thank you. Great. Sounds good. Thank you for that. Thank you for the update. I should probably ask if Mr. Hirsch has a motion. I do, but I want to kind of get it out there before, you know, we have any more announcements or anything like that, so I want to double check. Do we have anything else that anybody? No one else has anything to say. That's enough for one night. Yeah. Second. Aye. Aye. Aye. Mr. Hirsch. Aye. Aye. We are adjourned. Thank you, everyone.