More unfreindly skies for Dunkin Donuts on Franklin Street

At tonight's BOS meeting we witnessed what most businesses say about Framingham.. it's not business friendly. Tonight two long standing Framingham business owners were told they had to wait for a traffic study to be done before being issued their common victuals license.  This in spite of the fact the Town requires 13 parking spaces, this business has 16, and that everyone had weighed in from all boards with no exceptions. Now here's a 20 year business man who operates the DD in Mt.Wayte and has spent $600,000 to fix up the old 400 restaurant building, with permits in hand. His lease is up the 28th. Next BOS meeting is the 24th.

 
Thanks go out to Mr. Bower for his sane and logical vote against such anti business behavior by the majority. The BOS may want to consider taking action against the mall owner for  not allowing trash pick up at the DD now in operation as the business owner stated.  After all, rats travel 5 miles for food so this location is close enough to Fountain Street for rat snack.

The mean spirited petty landlord has erected ugly fences around the new DD in hopes of getting even with the owners of DD for moving out of his run down strip mall.  On top of that, we see that Selectman Smith once again tries to throw his weight around by threatening the  owners, as he's done in the past, with him personally making sure the license will be revoked if any patron of DD parks anywhere outside the caged area. This way of doing business is wrong and should be stopped.

No where do the rules say that the owners have to consult with the traffic committee and the owners had done everything correct before coming to the BOS. While I certainly have a great deal of respect for the neighborhoods and parking, there needs to be consistent rules and regulations, clearly spelled out for any business to set up shop in Framingham. It makes no sense at all to do traffic studies when there's 4 feet plus of snow on every side street corner. Forcing an emergency meeting of the Traffic Committee is just wrong and not needed. While we did hear from the distinguished Dave Hutchenson about his concerns about parking, the Town is responsible for parking regulations, not the business owners. Selectmen Smith suggested the owners of the DD post signs saying parking is not allowed on the neighboring streets.  Since when do business owners have the right to set parking regulations for Framingham?  Isn’t that the responsibility of the Police Department?  By the way, the Police signed off on this new location for the business.