Board of Appeals — May 14, 2026
Despite the potentially contentious nature of parking waivers, the meeting proceeded smoothly with unanimous votes and an orderly Q&A process.
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At the May 14 Board of Appeals meeting, a significant decision was made regarding the future of parking and development at 7 Depot Square.
The Board voted unanimously to grant a special permit to Commune All Day Cafe, allowing the business to operate with zero on-site parking spaces. This decision waives the standard requirement for seven parking spaces at this location. To facilitate the permit, the Board also voted to waive the normal plot plan requirement.
During the discussion, the applicant argued that the cafe would boost downtown vitality and align with a pedestrian-oriented environment. While Board members questioned the applicant on trash management and employee counts to mitigate local impact, the final decision moves forward with no dedicated parking for the business.
This decision marks a shift toward zero-parking commercial models in our downtown area. Residents should monitor how this affects local traffic and street parking availability as the decision is finalized over the next month.
Public impact
Relief from requirement of 7 parking spaces to 0 spaces.
The board unanimously voted to waive the plot plan requirement and grant the special permit for zero parking.
The decision will be drafted over approximately one month; the applicant must also obtain necessary permits from the Select Board.
Topics discussed
A request for a special permit to operate a 35-seat restaurant with zero on-site parking at 7 Depot Square.
The board waived the plot plan requirement and granted the special permit for zero parking spaces.
The decision will be drafted over approximately one month; the applicant must also obtain necessary permits from the Select Board.
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The board reviewed and voted on the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting held on March 26, 2026.
The minutes were approved by roll call vote.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Zero-parking special permit for 7 Depot Square (Commune All Day Cafe)
Community vs. board tension
Public comment
Decisions logged
Action items
Member positions
Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position. UNCLEAR means the vote was split but the record did not name how this member voted — it is not a “yes.”
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gemma-4-26b, grok-4.3, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-07.
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