Boxborough panel recommends parking cuts, tables plastic ban

Economic Development Committee · Meeting of April 9, 2026

Boxborough Economic Development Committee backs parking cuts, stalls on plastic ban. The committee unanimously recommended Article 11, halving minimum parking requirements for offices and light manufacturing from one space per 250 square feet to one space per 500, and Article 12, letting specialty food shops sell alcohol. Member Lavanya Selvaraj, who owns Two Friends Chocolate, said a proposed polystyrene and single-use-plastics ban modeled on Acton's bylaw would leave her unable "to sustain the business here," while fellow member John Neyland called himself "100 percent against" the measure.

Clerk Megan Connor countered that more than 260 Massachusetts towns already restrict polystyrene. The committee took no vote on the plastics bylaw or on expanding the town's Design Review Bylaw to cover Mass Avenue's business districts, sending both back for discussion May 14, five days before annual town meeting opens May 19.

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Source: the Economic Development Committee meeting of April 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.