The Bedford Planning Board on July 14 approved a sign-waiver request permitting up to 133.87 square feet of building signage and a new monument sign for Mercedes‑Benz of Bedford at 5A Eastpointe Drive.

Board members voted to grant the waiver after hearing a presentation from the applicant’s engineer and construction representative and reviewing comparisons to an adjacent Toyota dealership’s previously approved signage. The board’s approval incorporated the application materials last revised June 25, 2025.

The applicant team said the Mercedes signage package includes five illuminated, white wall signs on the south frontage, a parts-and-delivery sign on the eastern wall and a monument sign at the end of Eastpointe Drive. Shane Oates of Independence Engineering explained the total sign area as “133.87 square feet,” and he compared that to the adjacent Toyota building, noting the ratio of sign area to building footprint is similar to the prior Toyota approval. Brad Johnson, vice president of construction for Group 1 Automotive, said co‑locating Mercedes branding on the corner monument with the Toyota sign would generally require the OEMs’ approvals and “typically, that's a big no‑no.”

Board members asked about illumination and hours; the applicant said signs could be tied to a photocell and turned off after business or specified hours, and asked the board to set any limits as part of the motion. Becky Hebert, planning director, noted staff had reviewed the application and found the submission complete and not to present a regional impact.

The final motion, moved by Priscilla Malcolm and seconded by Chris Swinjarski, granted the waiver “in accordance with the application materials submitted by the applicant, last revised 06/25/2025,” and the board incorporated its findings of fact into the decision. The board recorded the motion as adopted with no recorded opposition.

The approval requires the applicant to comply with the approved plans and the standard conditions included in the meeting minutes; the motion incorporated those minutes into the decision.

Board discussion also stressed that corporate brand requirements do not supersede local approvals and that future corporate sign packages still must meet town standards.