Town Meetings Says "No" to Target Proposal

The zoning change for the proposed Target/Canyon Site project was denied by Town Meeting last night.

After months of public consideration among the different town boards that deal with development, the controversial Canyon/Target project was before Town Meeting last night and the majority of members voted to deny the project.  Members voted 39 in favor and 72 against the warrant article that called for a zoning change at the site off of Wheeler Road near the Middlesex Turnpike. The zoning change required a 2/3 majority but the article failed without even 50 percent of the Town Meeting votes. The background on the project is that in the fall of 2010 the Gutierrez Company entered an agreement to potentially purchase the 15.3 acre piece of state-owned land that located adjacent to Wheeler Road and near the Middlesex Turnpike from the …

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TOM KILLILEA

6:30 pm on Sunday, May 27, 2012

still waiting for a response to your statement, what is the implication?   more ›

Reminder: Decision Day for Proposed Target is Monday (Latest News & Poll)

Town Meeting will take up the zoning change for the proposed Canyon/Target project first thing Monday evening.

Update:  Selectman Walter Zenkin informed Patch today that the Board of Selectmen will take up the question as to whether or not to recommend for or against this project to Town Meeting during a session at 7 p.m. Monday at Burlington High School. He said the reason he abstained (see below) last week rather than voting when the issue was brought up was because it wasn't on the agenda.  Original story:  Town Meeting members will face a big and long-anticipated decision after hearing from proponents and opponents of the proposed Target project off of Wheeler Road on Monday. The background on the project is that in the fall of 2010 the Gutierrez Company entered an agreement to potentially purchase the 15.3 acre piece of state-owned land that …

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Richard Hosford

5:31 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012

Hi B. Springer, According to Selectman Walter Zenkin, one of the two who abstained, the reason was because a vote to make a recommendation to Town Meeting was not on the meeting agenda. The board is meeting at 7 p.m. this evening to take a vote tonight   more ›

Have Questions on Target Proposal? Ask Those Who Know During Live Blog

Burlington Patch will feature a live discussion with Scott Weiss of the Gutierrez Company, the developer behind the proposed Target plan at the Canyon Site, this Thursday at 6 p.m.

The proposed Target/Canyon Site plan put forward by the Gutierrez Company is one of the hottest issues in town right now. The next step for the proposal is a zoning change that will be before Town Meeting on May 14. In a recent vote the Burlington Planning Board voted 4-3 to recommend the warrant article be passed. Burlington Patch has worked hard to bring comprehensive coverage of this story since it first caught or attention and we've carried many stories on the subject (see below). However, we know we can't address every question readers may have. So what we decided to do was invite Gutierrez Project Manager Scott Weiss into a live blog and invite readers to ask their questions directly. Come to Burlington Patch this Thursday, May 10 …

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Burlington Resident

8:31 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012

I said “this might be our only chance”. We have been talking about the traffic problem down there for years. The State didn’t even have this on their radar until now. If this goes away and they give it to the next highest bidder. What is his plans? Maybe he keeps it RO and we get nothing in return.   more ›

Planning Board Votes 4-3 to Give Favorable Recommendation for Proposed Target

The proposed Canyon Site/Target proposal by Gutierrez Company will go to the May Town Meeting with Planning Board endorsement.

After a lengthy discussion at last night's Planning Board meeting, the members voted 4-3 to favorably recommend to Town Meeting that it approve the zoning change for the proposed "Canyon Site" project for a  Target and restaurant off of Wheeler Road. Planning Board members John DeFrancesco, Ernest Covino Jr., Jayne Hyde and Ann Cummings voted in favor of the positive recommendation. Chair Paul Roth, Vice Chair Joseph Impemba and member Paul Raymond voted against. The vote was a recommendation only. In order for the proposed project to go forward the zoning change will need to be approved by Town Meeting by a 2/3 majority. Much of the discussion centered around traffic and commitments by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DoT…

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J Marie

7:13 pm on Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Dana, I totally agree with you - so sad what this town is turning into.   more ›

Planning Board to Make Recommendation on Target at Next Meeting

In advance of a change of two members that will result from the upcoming town election, Planning Board Chair Paul Roth said the board will recommend 'yes' or 'no' on March 29.

The Gutierrez Company is continuing with its proposed zoning change article for the proposed Target and restaurant in the "Canyon Site" off of Wheeler Road near Middlesex Turnpike and Route 128, but the time to garner a recommendation from the Planning Board is coming to an end. The proposal is to change the zoning of the 15.3 acre site to 'general business." Gutierrez has put forward a plan for the site which includes a retail and restaurant locations, which the company has stated will have a combined area of 165,000 square feet. Gutierrez has stated the plan is to build a Target store, and a representative from Target has presented before the board, with a restaurant to be decided later. The final decision of whether or not to change the…

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Special Planning Board Meeting to Discuss Target Project Today

The Planning Board is meeting at 4 p.m. this afternoon to discuss traffic mitigation.

The Burlington Planning Board is holding a special meeting at 4 p.m. this afternoon in the Town Hall Annex basement meeting room to discuss the 3A/Canyon project. The Canyon site is the location for a proposed Target. According to the meeting agenda, the discussion will focus on proposed rezoning and mitigation as well as any restrictive covenants between the developer and the town. The Gutierrez Company, the developer looking to possibly purchase the land from the state and sell it to Target for a new location, has previously presented a traffic mitigation plan for Middlesex Turnpike and Wheeler Road in response to concerns that the proposed store will add to the already-congested traffic in the area. Opponents of the plan, however, have …

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Vote on Proposed Target Postponed; Lexington Planning Dept. Speaks Out

The Gutierrez Company will request Town Meeting members to "refer the article back for further study" rather than taking a vote on Jan. 23.

The zoning change article for the proposed Target in the "Canyon Site" off of Wheeler Road near Middlesex Turnpike and Route 128 will not be voted on at next Monday's Town Meeting. Representatives of the Gutierrez Company, the entity behind the project, were back in front of the Burlington Planning Board last night to answer additional questions on the proposed traffic mitigation plan and during the meeting they stated that they would request that Town Meeting refer the warrant article back for "further study." "We understand the request of the board and of the Town for more time," said Scott Weiss, Gutierrez Managing Director of Commercial Development. "We have also heard from residents with questions and we want to give everyone a chance…

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today, Dec. 22

A sunny and rather warm day, an old-time jam session and a morning zoning meeting.

Five Things You Need to Know Today" is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section. Today is Thursday, Dec. 22. Here are 5 things you need to know:

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