Framingham Planning Board Sends Bee Sisters Cafe Drive-Through Back for Revised Plans

FRAMINGHAM -- March 9, 2017, Framingham Planning Board gives informal green light to Bee Sisters Cafe drive-through concept, with conditions. The board stopped short of any formal vote at its March 9 meeting on a proposal by partners Fernanda Mendez and Anna Mendez to activate a pre-existing drive-through lane at their grab-and-go cafe at 680 Worcester Road on Route 9, directing them instead to return with revised plans addressing a parking shortfall, nine spaces against a required 12, relocated handicapped parking, tenant consent letters, and a traffic management plan. One member drew on the board's experience with the nearby Dunkin' Donuts: "There's going to be a provision in the decision that will require you to do additional steps if it turns out that there are cars queuing out on Route 9, you may never use it, but it'll be there if need be." The board voted 4-0 to release the performance bond for Fox Creek Lane after a two-year weathering period, conditioned on receipt of a written DPW compliance letter, and 4-0 to send a clarifying letter to the Building Department confirming that a roughly 3,200-square-foot rooftop enclosure at 2-8 New York Avenue is mechanical maintenance space, not occupied floor area.