News

Planning Board Meets in Executive Session to Discuss 242/244 Adams Place Litigation, Open Session Covers Possible Zoning Articles for Fall Town Meeting, Change to Hybrid Meetings

(23-JUL-26) At its meeting on Monday, July 20, the Planning Board met in executive session to “discuss strategy with respect to litigation” related to the “Appeal of Special Permit and Site Plan Review decisions, 242/244 Adams Place…”

The litigation dates back to 2023 when the Planning Board denied a Special Permit for a private common driveway and denied Site Plan Approval to construct a 140,000 square foot research and development facility at 244 Adams Place. The applicant, Boxborough Adams Realty Trust, filed their original application on May 23, 2022.

After opening the public hearing on the permits on July 18, 2022 and conducting ten subsequent (continued) hearings, the Planning Board voted unanimously to deny the permits on April 3, 2023. As part of the appeal process, the applicant applied for a “foundation only” building permit from the Town’s building commissioner, who denied the permit. The applicant then appealed the commissioner’s decision with the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The ZBA affirmed the building commissioner’s decision, thereby upholding the denial of the permit.

The “Town of Boxborough Planning Board” and the “Town of Boxborough Zoning Board of Appeals” and the individual members of each board are named defendants in three linked complaints filed in Massachusetts Land Court in 2023 (May 2, October 24, and November 20). According to information obtained from the Trial Court of Massachusetts Land Court Department, “the parties came before the court on January 30, 2026 for oral argument…”

In a decision dated July 2, the court found in favor of the Plaintiff on three legal issues and ordered the parties to submit a status report on remaining issues within 30 days.

The Planning Board did not discuss the litigation in open session.

In open session, the Planning Board discussed potential zoning articles for the upcoming Fall Town Meeting, which begins Monday, November 16. As previously reported in Boxborough News (https://www.boxboroughnews.org/news#h.9vmonat24wgu), the MBTA Overlay District approved by Town Meeting in October 2025 failed to meet the state’s required net density of 15 units per acre. Therefore, the town must amend its bylaw to comply with the MBTA Communities Act. The Planning Board will conduct a public hearing on August 3, 2026 at 7:10 p.m. via Zoom to hear the public’s input on two possible options for correcting the bylaw.

Chair Rich Guzzardi asked Planning Board members if there were other zoning articles that should be considered for Fall Town Meeting. During a previous meeting, member Chris Dowdy requested that the board consider crafting a zoning bylaw prohibiting data centers in any district. Town Planner Alec Wade suggested that the board consider bringing a temporary moratorium on data centers to Fall Town Meeting. This would give the board time to write a well-researched and legally vetted bylaw to bring to a future town meeting.

The Planning Board also heard briefly from Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) Chair Mary Brolin. Brolin thanked Town Planner Wade for meeting with the FSBC to set up the process and schedule for site plan approval for the new fire station, which will be sited at 984 Mass Ave. Municipal building projects are subject to the same permitting rules and regulations as privately owned projects. Wade informed the board that the FSBC expects to file their application “around October 19” and that public hearings would be scheduled for November 18, December 7, and December 21.

The board also discussed changing their meeting format from Zoom only to hybrid and starting at 7:30 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. Chair Guzzardi gave each member an opportunity to opine on the change, and all members supported it.

When reached for comment, Guzzardi wrote, “The Board has received a lot of feedback from community members on having an in-person presence for meetings and hearings. Based on the Board’s support, we will begin holding meetings in a hybrid format to provide an in-person experience with the flexibility of participating remotely based on members’ and participants’ personal schedules. I am hopeful this strikes a workable balance.”

The Planning Board’s first hybrid meeting is scheduled for August 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Fire Station Building Committee Holds Community Design Update, Town Administrator Reports that 984 Mass Ave Closing is Delayed

(23-JUL-26) On Thursday, July 23, the Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (“FSBC”) held a “Community Design Update” to share progress on the design of the town’s new fire station and hear questions and comments from the public.

In front of an audience of roughly 30 community members in the room and online, representatives from Context Architecture (“Context”), the town’s design firm, explained what the fire station design currently looks like as the town moves from the “concept design” phase to the “schematic design” phase.

Chris Logan and Jeff Shaw of Context shared details about the site layout and floor plan for a 20,700 square foot one-story building and explained how the fire department staff and the public would move throughout the space.

Shaw emphasized that although the project has come a long way, there is “still a lot more work to do” since the building is still in the early stages of design. “There is still a lot that can and will change,” he said.

After the 30-minute presentation, there was an hour of questions and comments from the audience, including questions about parking, the orientation of the building on the site, the roof type, concerns of abutters, why a one-story building was chosen over a two-story building, and both access to and visibility from Mass Ave.

After the Community Design Update, the FSBC held their regular meeting.

Town Administrator Mike Johns reported that the town did not close on the 984 Mass Ave property on July 17 and that the closing is expected to take place in the “next couple of weeks.” Johns did not identify a specific reason for the delay but stated that there are several outstanding items that the attorneys are working on. He noted that “it’s not unusual for a complex acquisition like this to sometimes be delayed… I want to note that there are no red flags… it’s just a delay in the acquisition.”

The FSBC also reviewed and discussed two site plan options and three building plans. Discussion included whether hitting a certain target square footage, e.g., 20,000 square feet, should be a goal in and of itself. The committee grappled with the various trade-offs that will need to be considered when working to minimize the cost of the project.

After the meeting, Town Administrator Johns offered the following comment: “We are at a positive turning point in the life of this project, as we move from conceptual to schematic design. I think all stakeholders, including residents, and fire department staff are seeing that questions and concerns have been listened to, taken seriously and addressed appropriately, to shape the new firehouse.”

The FSBC’s next meeting is scheduled for August 13 and will focus on design components related to energy efficiency and sustainability.

Sustainability Committee Meets with Fire Station Design Firm, Pushes Energy Code Proposal to 2027

(23-JUL-26) On Wednesday, July 22, the Boxborough Sustainability Committee (“BSC”) was joined by representatives of Context Architecture (“Context”), the firm designing the town’s new fire station. The BSC heard a presentation from Context about their sustainability goals for the fire station, including “specialized stretch energy code compliance.”

Chris Logan and Jeff Shaw of Context presented sketches of the one-story, roughly 21,000 square foot building “as it presently exists in the design process”, emphasizing that this is the “concept” for the building and it has not been formally designed. Logan walked through the sustainability goals for the fire station, including energy-efficient design, use of renewable energy, and sustainable site design.

Shaw explained that since they are still early in the design process, they are exploring many different ways to incorporate sustainability. He noted that energy modeling and cost estimations scheduled to be completed over the next few months will help the town understand the benefits and costs of various systems.

Context also shared that an upcoming Fire Station Building Committee meeting on August 13 will include a “more robust” discussion of sustainability; they encouraged members of the BSC and the public to join that meeting.

BSC members asked questions about solar and geothermal systems, energy usage modeling, and timing for various decisions around building sustainability. Both Context representatives and BSC members expressed appreciation to connect with each other early in the design process.

Moving on to other business, the BSC discussed the timing for bringing a potential warrant article to town meeting for the adoption of the Specialized Stretch Code. BSC members agreed to work toward Annual Town Meeting in May 2027 instead of bringing it to this year’s Fall Town Meeting. They agreed that delaying it until next year would give them more time to gather data about potential impact to the town and conduct more public outreach.

The BSC also voted unanimously to pursue Green Communities funding for a series of projects across town, including a heat pump at Town Hall, weatherization at the Police Department, and LED lighting at Blanchard Memorial School.

Town Launches “Boxborough In the Know” Communications Project

(23-JUL-26) In an effort to improve communication between the town and the community, the town of Boxborough has begun a new project called “Boxborough In the Know.”

So far, there are two components to the project: (1) a survey that asks respondents about how they currently receive town news, and (2) an opportunity to sign up for an email list to stay informed about the project.

According to the sign-up form, “the email list is for this project only; it will not be shared with other groups or used for other purposes. Once signed up, you will receive information about surveys, focus groups, and information sessions. Your input will help us understand what is working in town and what is lacking. You will also receive project updates as we progress.”

The survey is available at https://forms.gle/fxdZxnF9eS6Berkx9. The email list sign-up is available at https://tinyurl.com/BXEmailList.

The project is led by a team of four town employees: Assistant Town Administrator Rajon Hudson, Director of Land Use and Permitting Alec Wade, Library Director Peishan Bartley, and Police Chief John Szewczyk.

This project is the team’s “Community Innovations Project” in connection with a “Leadership Matters” professional development course by the Public Sector Consortium. Between Fall 2025 and January 2026, the group attended four training sessions and will work with the Public Sector Consortium to implement the project.

The goal, Hudson told Boxborough News back in April, is to “better coordinate town messaging in a unified and cohesive way” in order to “limit misinformation as much as we can.”

In this first phase, the team will collect feedback from stakeholders and residents about the different ways they receive information from the town. In phase two, expected in late summer into fall, the team will design and implement a solution.

“We embarked on this project because we believe it will improve how the town operates,” said team member Bartley in April. “I believe in the necessity of communication and the power of having information. I hope we will be able to set something up so that community members feel empowered and informed to actively engage in town activities.”

Iconic Christmas Tree One Of Six Trees Removed From Old Town Common

(23-JUL-26) On Friday, July 17, six 100-foot Norway Spruce trees were removed from the Old Town Common at the intersection of Middle and Hill Roads, including the one that served as the town’s Christmas tree for the annual tree lighting ceremony until 2024.

At the Select Board meeting on Monday, July 13, Department of Public Works Director Ed Kukkula requested authorization and funds to remove the six trees from the Common, citing a report by arborist James MacArthur of Professional Environmental Services, LLC that indicated “evidence of extensive bark beetle infestation and woodpecker damage” in four trees. Kukkula recommended including the two additional trees for removal due to the safety risks associated with leaving them exposed to wind.

MacArthur’s report explains that although the four trees have “the appearance of a healthy crown, the bark damage and sounding, with a sounding hammer, indicates heart decay and an internal cavity.” The report deems the risk level of the four trees to be “high” and recommends their removal “given the hazardous situation they present and the potential targets they could hit if a failure occurred.”

Homeowners Alex and Jessica Jordan, who live in the property adjacent to the Common and brought the matter to the attention of the Select Board a few months prior, attended the July 13 Select Board meeting. Alex Jordan noted that they had originally requested that the town conduct a risk assessment of the trees, as another tree in the cluster had uprooted earlier this year and scraped the side of their house when it fell.

Jessica Jordan asked about the necessity of removing the Christmas tree and whether there was any way for it to be preserved. Kukkula responded that the Christmas tree was diseased, which is why it was included in the list of trees to be removed.

Select Board member Kristin Hilberg asked Kukkula if there were plans to replant the trees. Kukkula acknowledged the loss of the “wonderful Christmas tree” and indicated that a tree could be planted in its place. No decisions on replanting were made.

Boxborough News reached out to the Jordans, who commented that they are "sad to see all of the beautiful spruces gone." They added that when they learned that the town would be cutting all of the spruces, they “suggested that the town consider planting a northern red oak and/or other natives befitting a historic New England common."

Select Board Discusses Complete Streets and Transfer Station

(23-JUL-26) At their meeting on July 13, the Boxborough Select Board heard a presentation by Town Planner Alec Wade about the town’s past, present, and future “Complete Streets” efforts. The Board did not vote on how to move forward, but asked Wade to propose a revised Complete Streets Policy for the Board’s future review.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the “Complete Streets” program “provides Massachusetts municipalities with tools and financial support to address gaps in their local transportation networks. A ‘Complete Street’ is one that provides safe and accessible options for all travel modes—including walking, biking, transit, and vehicles—for people of all ages and abilities.”

Wade’s presentation focused on how to revive the Complete Streets program in Boxborough. He explained that the town’s current Complete Streets Policy is preventing the town from pursuing Complete Streets projects because it requires action by the Complete Streets Committee, which no longer exists. Wade noted that in revising the policy, the Board could choose to place responsibility for Complete Streets efforts with town staff instead of with a volunteer committee.

Wade’s presentation also included the possibility of a Complete Streets project on Liberty Square Road. In April, a group of residents approached Wade to explore “increased safety and connectivity” along Liberty Square Road and adjacent neighborhoods. Board members agreed that Liberty Square Road is a good candidate for a Complete Streets project, but at least one Board member and public commenter mentioned that other roads should be considered as well.

The Board also discussed two matters related to the Boxborough Transfer Station. The first was the possibility of honoring certain transfer station employees with a plaque. The Board discussed potential criteria for adding names to such a plaque (possibly based on number of years of service) and whether there should be a plaque honoring employees at every municipal building. The Board took no votes on this matter.

The second was the possibility of the town charging residents a fee for the disposal of mattresses and appliances at the transfer station. Department of Public Works Director Ed Kukkula shared that he was in favor of charging fees for these items to cover the town’s cost to dispose of them, but also noted that a fee system may be operationally challenging. Kukkula and Town Administrator Mike Johns agreed to return to the Board with a proposal that would include both a list of fees and a plan for how the town would collect the fees.

Select Board Chair Bob Stemple updated the Board on the status of the town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, which the Board discussed at its last meeting in connection with that committee’s role in the town’s creation of an Economic Development Plan. Stemple shared a revised “charge” for the DEI Committee, which Board members agreed to review for a future meeting. Stemple also noted that the DEI Committee is looking for new members.

The Board also approved tree removal at the Old Town Common and on Depot Road; authorized the town to scrap or sell the playground equipment that will be removed from Flerra Playground; approved a three-year municipal agreement with Littleton Community Television; and approved a series of budget transfers.

FSBC Votes To Pursue One-Story Fire Station Design

(9-JUL-26) At their meeting on July 9, the Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) voted unanimously for the new fire station to be a one-story building instead of a two-story building.

At the beginning of the meeting, FSBC Chair Mary Brolin reminded the committee that the goal of the meeting was to decide whether to pursue a one-story or two-story building so the town’s consultant Context Architecture (“Context”) can move from the “conceptual design” phase to the “schematic design” phase. Later in the meeting, as members deliberated, Brolin reminded the group again that “it’s a difficult choice but that’s our job; we’ll make a difficult choice tonight.”

Chris Logan of Context explained that a two-story building would be about 1-2% (roughly $300,000 to $450,000) less expensive. The cost savings, he said, primarily come from the smaller footprint of a two-story building.

Boxborough Fire Department Chief John Kivlan, who could not be present at the meeting but provided comments in advance, expressed a preference for a one-story building to avoid the risks associated with a flight of stairs. However, according to Logan and Town Administrator Mike Johns, the Chief’s higher priority is the overall layout and operational “flow” of the design – including direct access to the apparatus bay “to rapidly staff and deploy,” as well as efficient access to the medical triage room.

In sharing their views before the vote, members agreed that the Chief’s operational preference for a one-story building should be prioritized. Several members also noted that although the one-story building has a higher upfront cost, there are maintenance costs associated with various elements of a two-story building (e.g., the elevator). Several members believed the one-story building to be more visually appealing as well.

With respect to the higher cost of the one-story building, Chair Brolin noted that “we will have to tighten the belt if we go this way.”

The committee then voted unanimously to design a one-story fire station, after which Logan thanked the committee for their direction and said that Context “will proceed to schematic design.”

In other business, the committee discussed their next public outreach event, a “Community Design Update” at Town Hall on Thursday, July 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., as well as Context’s meeting with the Boxborough Sustainability Committee on Wednesday, July 22.

Town Administrator Johns also updated the committee that the purchase and sale agreement for 984 Mass Ave has been executed, and the town remains on track for a July 17 closing.

Road Paving Work Underway; Town’s Yearly Paving Schedule Updated

(9-JUL-26) Roadworkers endured steamy temperatures last week as they began the work of paving Boxborough roads.

In addition to Middle, Cobleigh, and Depot Roads, which the town announced last week, the town’s contractor has also begun paving Guggins Lane, Boxmill Road, Prescott Road, Benjamin Drive, and Tokatawan Spring Lane.

Boxborough News reached out to Department of Public Works Director Ed Kukkula for an update and learned that the Fiscal Year 2027 (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) paving schedule has been revised to include all eight roads listed above. Kukkula indicated that the updated schedule will be posted on the Town’s website in the near future.

While the work is underway, roads are closed to through traffic. Local residents will still be able to access their homes and police details are stationed to assist with traffic.

For further information contact ekukkula@boxborough-ma.gov.

Town Seeks to Fill Open Positions at Police Department and Town Hall

(9-JUL-26) The town of Boxborough continues to face recruiting challenges as it seeks to fill public safety and municipal finance positions.

Currently, the town has four open positions - two at the police department and two at Town Hall. The police department is seeking to fill a police officer position and an administrative assistant position. The town’s website indicates that the police officer position was posted on December 2, 2025 and indicated a need for more than one officer.

Boxborough News reached out to Police Chief John Szewczyk about the police department vacancies. Szewczyk told us that in December 2025, there were three police officer vacancies due to the retirement of one officer and the departure of two others. However, Officers Zachary Stillman and Christopher Lowney, who had left the Boxborough Police Department to go to other municipalities, recently returned to Boxborough.

According to Assistant Town Administrator Rajon Hudson, “Stillman and Lowney expressed interest in returning to Boxborough, went through the interview process, and were selected to rejoin the team. Both officers are currently back on duty with the Police Department.” The department is currently seeking to fill only one police officer position.

When reached for comment, Szewczyk stated, "Although a nationwide shortage of Police Officers exists, the Boxborough Police Department is very fortunate to be only one sworn position below its authorized strength at this time. The continued community support and the department's positive culture have both been major selling points that help with the recruitment and retention of police officers in town.”

The open administrative assistant position at the police department, which was posted to the town’s website on June 12, 2026, is a union position and is full-time (40 hours).

At Town Hall, Rajon Hudson is seeking to fill the assistant town accountant position and an administrative assistant position in the principal assessor’s office. The administrative assistant role was recently vacated, and Hudson told Boxborough News that they “have received a few applications for this position…At this point, we don’t anticipate challenges with filling this role.”

However, filling the assistant town accountant role has been challenging. The position was first posted on April 6, 2026. When Boxborough News spoke with Hudson in June, he indicated that it is a tough position to fill because the applicant needs to have municipal finance experience. In a follow-up conversation in early July, Hudson told Boxborough News, “While municipal finance experience is certainly valuable, we are open to candidates with strong private sector finance experience. We are committed to providing the necessary training, resources, and support to help the right candidate succeed in the role. The position is a part-time role, working 19.5 hours per week, and it is a non-union position.”

While all of the town’s positions are advertised on the town’s website (boxborough-ma.gov/Jobs.aspx), the town also posts all positions through the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA). Hudson told us that MMA “has consistently been our most successful recruitment platform for attracting qualified municipal candidates.”

The town also advertises positions through professional associations and specialized job boards to broaden the outreach to qualified candidates. Hudson provided some examples: the Assistant Town Accountant position was posted through the Massachusetts Municipal Accountants Association (MMAA); the Administrative Assistant position in the Assessing Department was posted through the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers (MAAO); and the police officer positions were advertised on law enforcement job boards. “Using both MMA and profession-specific recruitment channels helps us maximize our ability to reach qualified applicants for each position,” Hudson said.

When asked to comment on filling open positions, Hudson wrote, “Like many municipalities across the Commonwealth, the Town continues to face challenges recruiting for certain positions, particularly in public safety and municipal finance. These fields have experienced increased competition for qualified candidates, making recruitment more challenging than in previous years.

Despite these challenges, we remain committed to attracting and retaining employees who are the best fit for the Town’s needs. We continue to broaden our recruitment efforts through municipal and profession-specific job boards, while also providing the training, resources, and support necessary to help employees succeed. Our goal is not only to fill vacancies, but to build a strong, capable workforce that can continue providing high-quality services to the community.”

Planning Board Schedules Public Hearing to Correct MBTA Communities Bylaw

(9-JUL-26) At its meeting on Monday, July 6, the Planning Board began the process of correcting an error in the MBTA Communities Overlay District bylaw. As previously reported in Boxborough News (https://www.boxboroughnews.org/news#h.svr6lvva2xt), the MBTA Overlay District approved by Town Meeting in October 2025 does not meet the state’s required net density of 15 units per acre. The state compliance spreadsheet used by the town’s technical consultant was found to have miscalculated the district’s compliance by overstating the unit per acre density.

Town Planner Alec Wade informed the board that the Town remains in interim compliance and is not facing penalties so long as it continues working toward correction, and he presented two options, which he called ‘Alternative 1’ and ‘Alternative 2’, for the board’s consideration. Alternative 1 would not change the land area already approved by Town Meeting; it only changes the bylaw’s written maximum density from 13 units per acre to 17 units per acre.

Alternative 2 would revise the (district) map to include an additional single-family lot at 1178 Hill Road and would then set the bylaw maximum density at 15 units per acre instead of 17. Wade reminded the board that this parcel had been part of earlier advisory group discussions and is more readily developable than the existing district. He added that the owner of 1178 Hill Road had previously indicated no immediate interest in selling or developing the parcel.

Members discussed the pros and cons of both options. Member Mark White favored Alternative 1, framing it as a technical correction rather than a policy shift, noting that the district was already approved by Town Meeting and that simply changing the number from 13 to 17 units per acre would be the “prudent way forward for the time being.” Member Gary Kushner also favored Alternative 1 as “easier and less confusing” for Town Meeting. Planning Board Clerk Chris Dowdy favored Alternative 2 because it adds some potentially developable land and responds to prior public feedback that the original district did not include enough realistic development opportunity. However, he agreed that just changing the units per acre density “kind of solves it…That is the simplest.”

When reached for comment after the meeting, Planning Board Chair Rich Guzzardi provided the following statement. “It is important that the Board address the calculation error at the next available Town Meeting date. Last fall, Town Meeting already approved the district, so now it is a question of what is the most effective way to address the net density within or adjacent to that district. There are ways the Town can address housing, however right now it is critical that we address compliance with the State’s MBTA Communities law.”

Wade also addressed the compliance issue. "I appreciate the Commonwealth's flexibility as we work to bring our district into full compliance. My departments alone administer more than $100,000 in state-funded programs, and the Board's prompt action to correct this issue will preserve our eligibility for these essential funds and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of critical services."

At their next scheduled meeting on July 20, the Planning Board will continue their discussion of both alternatives and is encouraging the public to attend and comment. The official public hearing will be scheduled for August 3 at 7:10 p.m.

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