Summary
Whole Foods can put up three big temporary banners — coming soon, opening date, and now open — each capped at 30 days within a 90-day window, a one-time deal that can't be reused.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 5
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Sep 22, 2026.
Impact analysis
The developer covers the signs; better wayfinding could help the town's biggest commercial development draw shoppers and tax revenue.
Whole Foods and Tuscan Village get marketing flexibility for the store opening.
Opponents argued the approval weakens the town's sign standards and could set a precedent for other oversized abandoned signs.
Mentions & discussions (5)
Planning Board (Regular) - Sep 22, 2026
The owner of 354 Main Street wanted to refurbish a 36-foot, 187.5-square-foot sign that badly exceeds the district's 15-foot/32-square-foot limits. The board approved it 3-2 with conditions, deciding an improved existing landmark beats an abandoned rusty one.
Planning Board (Regular) - May 12, 2026
Whole Foods can put up three big temporary banners — coming soon, opening date, and now open — each capped at 30 days within a 90-day window, a one-time deal that can't be reused.
Planning Board (Regular) - Feb 10, 2026
The Whole Foods in Tuscan Village can now have two monument signs — one off Route 28 and one at the parking lot entrance — so shoppers can find the store. The ZBA granted variances and the Planning Board added the conditional use permit with conditions.
Planning Board (Regular) - Jan 13, 2026
Canobie Lake Toyota wanted bigger signs than the town's rules allow. Some board members felt the voter-approved limits should hold; a majority ultimately allowed the larger signs.
Zoning Board of Adjustment (Regular) - Jan 6, 2026
The new Whole Foods is hard to spot from Route 28, so the developer got approval for two off-site monument signs — normally banned — to guide shoppers. It's a small zoning exception with real traffic-flow implications.
Related development
Gateway Auto Center Site Plan — Sign Conditional Use Permit
Route 97 travelers get a refreshed multi-tenant sign matching the renovated building; critics say it entrenches an oversized nonconforming sign.
Tuscan Village Block 1300 (Whole Foods) Temporary Signage
Temporary marketing banners ahead of the grocery store's opening; no permanent changes to the site.
Tuscan Village Block 1300 / Whole Foods Monument Sign
Shoppers will get better directions to the store, and the signs must follow the village's design standards.
Tuscan Village Whole Foods Off-Site Signage
Better wayfinding for a major tenant in the town's flagship development; no abutters showed up to object.
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