Hayden Enterprises Gas Station Special Permit
At a glance
- What: Hayden Enterprises has applied to the Planning Board for a special permit to build a gas station, convenience store, and five apartments at the intersection of Worcester Road and Old Worcester Road.
- Where it stands: as of the September 2, 2026 Planning Board meeting, a lengthy return hearing was held and the board moved toward drafting a formal decision with KP Law. Conservation Commission side resolved September 22 (order of conditions issued).
- Next: MassDOT curb-cut review could still force a redesign.
The proposal
- Gas station, convenience store, and five apartments.
- Proposed hours are 5am-11pm.
- A separate Freedom Enterprises gas station application was also on the schedule but only appears in continuances so far.
Concerns raised
- Extended review over traffic, fire access, water pressure, lighting, fencing, and hours of operation.
- Whether at least one of the five apartments will be designated as affordable housing.
Status and next steps
- September 2, 2026: the board held a lengthy return hearing and moved toward drafting a formal decision with KP Law, with a push to require at least one affordable unit.
- Conservation Commission side resolved September 22 (order of conditions issued).
- The September 22 Conservation extract describes the Planning Board as having approved earlier, but no Planning Board approval vote has been logged on this page; verify.
- MassDOT curb-cut review could still force a redesign.
Discussion time
About 90 minutes across 3 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-09-22 - Conservation Commission Meeting | 12 |
| 2026-09-02 - Planning Board Meeting | 38 |
| 2026-07-15 - Planning Board Meeting | 40 |
Log
2026-09-22 — 2026-09-22 - Conservation Commission Meeting
Conservation Commission closed the hearing and issued an order of conditions (special condition: no land disturbance until a land disturbance application is filed). DEP file 128-2015: 4.75-acre lot with ~2.5 acres of previously disturbed gravel, 5 fuel pumps, two 20,000-gal double-walled fiberglass tanks, work ~40 ft from bordering vegetated wetland, Graves peer review (36-38 comments) addressed. Old Worcester Road access to be gated emergency-only; the matter may return if MassDOT curb-cut review forces changes. A Stevens Road resident asked about contamination risk citing the former gas station site.
2026-09-02 — 2026-09-02 - Planning Board Meeting
Lengthy return hearing on the special permit for the gas station / convenience store / 5-apartment project at Worcester Road and Old Worcester Road. Board covered traffic, fire access, water pressure, lighting, fencing, and proposed hours of operation (5am–11pm). Discussion turned to writing a formal decision with legal counsel (KP Law), with a push toward designating at least one of the five apartments as affordable housing.
2026-07-15 — 2026-07-15 - Planning Board Meeting
Continued hearing. Gas is by right; the special permit covers the drive-thru and mixed use (convenience store plus 5 apartments). Discussed fence/arborvitae screening, double-wall tanks, a hydrant pressure test scheduled July 21 (40 psi benchmark), and MDM traffic review (MassDOT likely to require a narrower/scored entrance, longer island, snow plan, and a gate on the Old Worcester gravel link). Hours ~5am-11pm; decommissioning bond suggested; conditional on Conservation Commission. Continued to September 2.