Littleton Planning Board approves National Grid stormwater permit, presses developer on affordable units

LITTLETON -- August 7, 2025, Littleton Planning Board presses developer for affordable housing delivery schedule at 550 King Street Commons. The board, reviewing progress on the 804-unit mixed-use redevelopment of the former IBM campus, challenged the Lopoli Companies' plan to include just nine affordable units, the minimum under the developer's reading of the town's inclusionary zoning bylaw, in a first residential phase targeting approximately 310 units. Board member Anna, who helped draft the bylaw's 2017 update, said the phased interpretation "was not what was intended," while board member Mark acknowledged the project's roughly $27 million infrastructure investment justifies some front-loading of market-rate units. The board unanimously voted to submit formal traffic comments to the MEPA comment record, citing concerns over capacity on Routes 110 and 119, and approved a stormwater management permit 5-0 for National Grid's targeted refurbishment of three transmission lines along an eight-mile corridor through Littleton, conditioned on resolution of peer-review comments and Conservation Commission sign-off. TEC Engineers reported phase one underground utilities are 80 to 90 percent complete, with connection to the town sewer system expected around November.