Grafton ZBA Grants McDonald's Variance, Pushes 40B Hearing to June

Zoning Board · Meeting of May 13, 2026

Grafton ZBA grants McDonald's variance and pushes 200-unit 40B hearing to June 11. The Grafton Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 to grant a variance to McDonald's USA, LLC, for 92 Worcester Street, allowing parking within 10 feet of the street line and a reduced landscape buffer, then spent more than three hours working through waiver requests for the contested 14 Snow Road 40B development before continuing that hearing to June 11. Chair Brian Waller said the lack of developer outreach to neighbors was "one of the more disappointing aspects of this project" after multiple abutters — including Allison Casella of 36 Snow Road — complained that no one from the applicant team had knocked on their doors despite more than a year and a half of hearings.

The board directed outside counsel to add permit conditions requiring the applicant to consult with abutters and provide robust screening along the northerly property line before a building permit can issue. Vice Chair William McCusker led the board in unanimously declining to waive any water or sewer connection fees, stating "we've never done it and I don't think we should start now."

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Source: the Zoning Board meeting of May 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.