Littleton Planning Board Continues Storage Facility Hearing to January, Advances ADU Update

LITTLETON -- December 12, 2024, Littleton Planning Board opens and immediately continues a public hearing on an 85,012-square-foot self-storage facility at 550 Newtown Road, deferring the full presentation to January 9. The applicant, engineering firm Kimley-Horn acting for owner Storage Rentals of America, was directed by town staff to first document the existing building's unpermitted alterations before presenting its revised proposal; the board voted 4-0 to continue the hearing. One resident who lives downhill from the site told the board she was not included in the abutter notice and raised concerns about existing flooding and wastewater. The board also voted 4-0 to adopt updated special permit application forms for wireless communications facilities and 4-0 to approve a lot release for the Strawberry Farm subdivision at 95 Taylor Street, contingent on bond verification. In discussion items, planning staff briefed the board on a state mandate requiring Littleton to allow accessory dwelling units of up to 900 square feet by right as of February 5, 2025, conflicting with the town's existing owner-occupancy requirement, and on a June 2025 FEMA deadline to adopt a revised floodplain bylaw. Funding from the Massachusetts LEADS Act will support an update to the 2019 Littleton Common Revitalization Roadmap, with the UMass Donahue Institute engaged to do the work.