Target Talk in Burlington Got You Curious?

The development team behind a proposal that would put a Target just over the town line in Burlington have scheduled an informational meeting for Lexington abutters of the so-called Canyon site.

The Gutierrez Company, a Burlington-based real estate development firm, is seeking approval from Burlington’s Town Meeting to rezone the parcel of land known as the Canyon into a Burlington’s General Business district to allow redevelopment of a mixed-use retail and restaurant concept. 

Gutierrez last Friday announced a series of informational sessions at which Burlington Town Meeting members can provide feedback and ask questions. A meeting for Lexington abutters is scheduled for Tuesday, May 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 200 Wheeler Road in Burlington.

The Gutierrez Company received a favorable recommendation from the Burlington Planning Board recently, despite concerns from board members and neighbors in Lexington and Burlington. Unsurprisingly, given the location of the site relative to Middlesex Turnpike, residential neighborhoods and Route 128.

Back in January, Greg Zurlo, vice chairman of Lexington's Planning Board, appeared at a Planning Board meeting in January and presented a letter in which his board urged its colleagues to "reject this proposed rezoning," citing concerns about traffic and impervious service on a parcel identifed as an aquifer and water resource area.

"Traffic congestion and safety are the major issues for us, and we are particularly concerned about the effects of the proposed rezoning and development on Adams Street," the letter states. "Existing delays and queuing are already severe at this intersection, as they are elsewhere on Middlesex Turnpike, and the VHB study points out that accidents occur there at more than 12 times the average rate. Additional traffic on the Middlesex Turnpike/Lowell Street corridor not only contributes to existing congestion and hazard, but is likely to increase the cut through traffic in our residential area."

For more information about the site and the project, check out Burlington Patch and www.BurlingtonCanyon.com.