The Southborough Zoning Board of Appeals on March 19 approved a special permit to allow a sign for Fine Automotive Services at 264 Cordaville Road, a commercial use within a residential zoning area requiring relief under the town zoning bylaw.

Applicant Elliot Fontaine, who said he rents the property and operates Fine Automotive Services, told the board he wanted to “put a sign up” in the same location as the previous sign. The application sought relief under Sections 174-9, 174-11 and 174-20 of the Southborough Zoning Bylaw to allow a legal nonconforming commercial use in a residential district to continue with signage.

No members of the public spoke in opposition. Planning staff told the board the application had already been reviewed by the Planning Board, which recommended the sign; the ZBA members said the proposed sign is within dimensional limits and that the application presented no neighborhood-scale visual concerns.

Board members asked about illumination; the applicant and staff said there would be no lighting as part of the sign. The board closed the public hearing and voted unanimously to approve the special permit. The panel noted the decision will be written and filed with the town clerk within 14 days, and a 20-day appeal period will run after filing; the building commissioner will process the actual sign permit and cannot approve it until the appeal period ends and the decision is recorded in the registry of deeds.

Why this matters: The action lets a long-standing automotive use on Cordaville Road reestablish on-site signage while preserving the town’s review of illumination and dimensional compliance through the building permit process.

Next steps: The board’s written decision will be prepared and filed with the town clerk; the applicant may proceed with the sign permit application but the building commissioner will not finalize the sign permit until the appeal period and recording requirements are satisfied.