Urban Affairs Committee splits 3-2 to advance 415 Elm Street warehouse permit

MARLBOROUGH -- June 30, 2025, Marlborough Urban Affairs Committee narrowly advances 415 Elm Street warehouse special permit in 3-2 vote. The committee approved zoning relief sought by Royal 401 Elm Street LLC and Lincoln Property Co. for a 203,500-square-foot warehousing and distribution facility, opening the building to tenants beyond the Limited Industrial district's narrow list of permitted warehousing uses. Traffic engineer Scott Thornton projected 360 daily trips, including 122 truck trips, against 525 existing trucks on Felton Street; the applicant pledged $75,000 toward milling and paving Elm Street, a post-occupancy traffic study, and a ban on Amazon-style fulfillment uses. Councilor Orem opposed 24-hour operation, citing federally required backup alarms that "cannot be changed and muffled," and was joined in opposition by the chair. Councilor Frichillo said the traffic cap won him over: "The last thing we want is to build this and have it be a vacant building." A separate 5-0 vote advanced a special permit for 27 Curtis Avenue LLC to rebuild a car wash, with added stormwater, water reclamation and landscaping conditions.