Planning Board backs Bedford Street coffee shop, eateries

Planning Board · Meeting of August 25, 2026

Whitman's Planning Board recommended favorable action on two zoning referrals Tuesday, advancing a Bedford Street drive-thru coffee shop and resolving a years-old garage-apartment dispute. Engineer Sam Malafonte of Solly Engineering presented plans for a 2,045-square-foot coffee shop and two fast-casual restaurants totaling more than 6,100 square feet on a 2.35-acre lot, seeking relief from the town's 100-foot front-yard setback and parking rules. Board member Robert Kimball pressed Malafonte on traffic backups near the Toll House condominiums, warning "there's many a times that the traffic, especially during rush hour, backs up well beyond." The board voted unanimously to recommend favorable action on the Bedford Street site plan and variance, sending it to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

In a second case, the board unanimously recommended favorable action on a variance for 22 Laszlo Street, where owners Josmar and Lisa Miranda sought relief for an unpermitted second dwelling unit inside a converted garage structure, with one member noting, "if he had not done the right thing, he wouldn't be here."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,715 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of August 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.