Planning Board - October 15, 2026

The Burlington Planning Board meeting on October 15, 2026, included a presentation by Eversource on a proposed substation and distribution project. Eversource said it expects to file with the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) near the end of 2026; the filing would begin a 15-month review. The project includes a new substation and about 10 miles of distribution work, with construction potentially starting in 2028 and taking about two years. Eversource said transformer procurement is underway and it is speaking with two or three vendors, but no vendor was selected, contract awarded, or project cost stated. The presentation also covered anticipated zoning exemptions, permitting, wetland impacts and mitigation, and the need for further work on noise, landscaping, traffic management, and construction scheduling. Board members requested follow-up information, including a plan for addressing double utility poles and additional details on mitigation and safety. The Board took no vote on the Eversource project.

The Board unanimously approved a special permit for Valiant Veterinary Partners to operate an urgent-care veterinary clinic at 112 Burlington Mall Road in an existing tenant space. It unanimously continued the Chick-fil-A special-permit hearings and a separate application by Usha Gandhi to November 5, 2026, to allow further site-plan and traffic review. No other procurement awards or spending decisions were identified.