Planning Board — February 10, 2026

The meeting was largely procedural and cooperative, but real tension surfaced around the Old Bill Ricka Road development — with a split vote, a board member's public expression of regret, and an external body (HPC) correcting the record — and the parking discussion exposed a values conflict between affordability goals and political pragmatism that the board declined to fully engage.

Date Tuesday, February 10, 2026 Duration 2.2h Speakers 11 Public comments 1 Decisions 9 Lively

▶ Video 📄 Minutes

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📋 BEDFORD PLANNING BOARD — February 10, 2026 Meeting Recap

Two issues from Tuesday's Planning Board meeting deserve public attention before the March 23 Town Meeting.

**The Old Bill Ricka Road development and the historic Michael Bacon house**

The board voted 3-1-1 to release 251A Old Bill Ricka Road from a planning covenant, clearing the way for a property sale and development to proceed. But the meeting had a notable moment: the chair of the Historic Preservation Commission appeared to correct the record, stating directly that HPC has NOT approved demolition of the historic Michael Bacon house at 229 Old Bill Ricka Road — and that a demolition delay is currently in effect. The applicant was asked to bring documentation of preservation efforts to the February 24th meeting. That documentation does not yet exist. One board member, Chris, voted No and said publicly that he regrets a prior related vote — waiving the town's right of first refusal on this project. That kind of public accountability statement is worth noting.

**The Cottage Overlay District — coming to a town meeting vote on March 23**

The board spent much of the meeting revising the new small-home zoning overlay district and unanimously approved the revised text to go on the town meeting warrant. Two things stand out. First, the district's name was changed from 'Starter Home Overlay District' to 'Cottage Overlay District' — and the board was explicit that this was a political branding decision to avoid controversy at town meeting, not a policy change. Second, a resident (Scott Cope of Madawaska Street) raised a legitimate planning argument: that requiring parking minimums in a district designed to be affordable runs counter to its own stated purpose, especially for residents who don't own cars. The board chair rejected the suggestion — not by disputing the planning logic, but by saying the current approach is simpler and more likely to pass at town meeting.

Residents will vote on this new zoning district on March 23. Before then, there will be a public hearing at the March 10 Planning Board meeting. If you have thoughts on parking, housing affordability, or what Bedford should allow to be built, that's the moment to show up.

The board also continued the 145 Davis Road hearing to February 24th.

Feb 10, 2026 2.2h long 11 speakers 1 public comments 9 decisions Lively

❝ Notable statements ↔ Drag to browse

“It's not accurate to say that we're comfortable with the demolition of 229. In fact, we put a demolition delay on it because we do wish to have it preserved.”

— Alethea Yates (HPC Chair) · Clarifying Historic Preservation Commission's position on the Michael Bacon house ▶ 18:01

“This just really bothers me. I'm frankly, the one vote that I regret at this point as a planning board member was to waive the right of first refusal.”

— Chris · Expressing frustration over lack of historic preservation efforts and project delays ▶ 41:52

“If I was Pam and Pam's builder, I'd have walked and I'd have gone off and built McMansions and get your money and move on. This is four years that this has been delayed.”

— Chair · Expressing frustration with project delays and acknowledging developer's patience ▶ 45:43

“I would wonder if the board would consider removing any parking minimum because it seems to me that the purpose of a starter home overlay district is to make housing affordable and accessible to people in a wide range of family situations”

— Scott Cope (public commenter) · Public comment on parking requirements, suggesting no minimum parking for affordability ▶ 1:27:37

“We didn't want to get into that kind of a discussion at town meeting. If you just say there's one garage, that is kind of a standard, even the smallest homes in town. But we appreciate your thought, but no, we're trying to keep this one, simple and two, the probability of getting approved in town meeting.”

— Speaker A (Chair) · Chair's response to parking minimum elimination suggestion, citing political strategy ▶ 1:28:28

“Cottage home implies these aren't very big and I don't want to start a home. There will always be somebody that says you're implying that people don't have money. That's what these are for. A cottage home could mean you're downsizing.”

— Speaker A (Chair) · Chair explaining rationale for name change to avoid income-related implications ▶ 1:47:39

“I am willing to present this the way that we are doing this now. I much prefer this over the 40Y”

— Speaker C (Todd) · Board member volunteering to present the bylaw at town meeting and expressing preference for local approach over state requirements ▶ 1:49:02

This meeting — choose a section

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.

What was discussed

Town-wide zoning change creating a new overlay district for small-scale residential development; to be voted on at the March 23rd town meeting, affecting future development patterns across qualifying parcels in Bedford.

What was discussed

Covenant release enables property sale and development to proceed on a parcel with an unresolved historic preservation obligation; sets a precedent for covenant enforcement in active planning applications.