Planning Board presses Shoppers World on sign plan
Planning Board · Meeting of October 1, 2026
Framingham Planning Board balks at Shoppers World's 14-sign overhaul, including a 24-by-40-foot monument sign. Attorney Joe Duquette of Bowditch & Dewey and designer David Chapman of Gable pitched a plan raising freestanding signs from four to 14 plus five wall directionals, letting the city's sign officer approve routine signs administratively. Member Steve said the proposed BB1 sign near Burr Street made no sense given restricted turns nearby, calling it "very remote from the campus," while colleagues questioned whether its 24-foot height needs a bylaw waiver.
Urban Edge's Samah Kassam cited 8 million annual visits to the 140-acre campus, more than double the company's other top centers. The board asked for a sign-by-sign square-footage matrix and renderings, floated a staff bus tour of staked-out sign locations, and continued the item to November 5. Earlier, the board unanimously endorsed a lot-line swap on Curve Street and heard that Framingham has logged more than 22 accessory dwelling unit applications since a new state law bypassed local permitting.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,259 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of October 1, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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