Zoning Board Renews Fireside Tavern Permit, Stalls Washington Street Garage Request

SHERBORN -- March 10, 2026, Sherborn's Zoning Board of Appeals renewed the Fireside Tavern's outdoor entertainment permit for four years and continued a contested garage petition to March 24. The board, chaired by McBride and including members Jonathan Labby and Fitch, voted 3-0 Tuesday to renew the special permit for Laura Robbins, operator of the Fireside Tavern at 33 North Main Street, citing no noise complaints and acceptable sound-level recordings from two events held under the prior permit. The board then turned to a finding petition filed by Ed Paterza for 179 Washington Street, where Paterza proposes to demolish a nonconforming dwelling and replace an existing carport with a two-car enclosed garage, a change that would reduce the front setback from 45 feet to 27.5 feet. McBride said the board has "never allowed an increase of that size" in a nonconformity and indicated his initial view was that the petition "won't be approvable." Labby agreed, noting the only precedent he could recall for permitting any nonconformity increase was a roughly 12-inch roofing overhang. The board voted 3-0 to continue the hearing to March 24 at 7 p.m. while McBride reviews case law and consults with Town Counsel Chris Canney.