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Reported by us | Somerset

Somerset Taco Bell plan goes to two boards Oct. 20 and 22; battery storage hearing runs into November

The Taco Bell plan has been continued since May. The battery storage petition has been on zoning board agendas since August and is scheduled again Oct. 29, Nov. 5 and Nov. 12.

By South Coast 360 staff | Published Oct. 18, 2026 | Last verified Oct. 18, 2026, 6:05 p.m. ET

Updated Oct. 18 with more detail.

SOMERSET Two Somerset boards take up a proposed Taco Bell at 721 G.A.R. Highway on Oct. 20 and Oct. 22, and the zoning board has set three more nights for a battery energy storage project on Riverside Avenue, according to agendas the town has posted. Both are seeking planned development approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals under Section 6.10 of the town's zoning bylaws.

The Taco Bell plan

The Planning Board meets Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. in the first-floor hearing room at Town Hall, 140 Wood St. Its agenda lists the stormwater permit application for the restaurant, with parking, utility and stormwater work, under ongoing business. The board has carried the application since at least May: its Aug. 11 agenda says it was "continued from 5.26.26" and that a "Continuance [was] required to address Peer Review Comments." The Sept. 22 agenda notes an "Endorsed Extension Thru 10.31.26" and a request to be heard in October.

On Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m., the zoning board hears the petition from DDO New England LLC, doing business as Taco Bell, for a quick-serve fast-food restaurant with site work in the Business District. The hearing is in the Cucinotta Community Room at the Somerset Public Library, 1464 County St. The board's Sept. 10 agenda listed the same petition with the note "Continuance requested to allow for revisions."

The Oct. 20 Planning Board agenda also includes a public hearing on Karissa Lyn Court in the Luther's Landing subdivision. The board will decide whether the road work is done and whether to release the performance bond, keep holding it or use the money to finish the road.

The battery storage project

Somerset Energy Storage LLC is asking the zoning board to allow a commercial battery energy storage system at 1606 Riverside Ave., in the Industrial Zoning District and the Business Industrial Overlay District. The agendas list the owner as Somerset Riverside 1606 LLC. The petition has appeared on at least eight posted zoning board agendas: Aug. 6, Sept. 3, Sept. 17, Oct. 1 and Oct. 15, and now Oct. 29, Nov. 5 and Nov. 12. The agendas placed the Aug. 6 and Sept. 3 hearings in the Somerset Middle School auditorium and the Oct. 15 hearing at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, 602 G.A.R. Highway.

Before its Oct. 1 hearing, the board scheduled a site visit on Stevens Street. Town Planner Amy L. Messier's notice said the visit was "to observe and visualize the proposed height of the sound wall associated with the pending Salt Cod Energy B.E.S.S. Planned Development application," and that "No deliberation or decision-making will take place at the site." The town's posted records do not say whether that application and the Somerset Energy Storage petition are the same project. The posted agendas do not give the project's size or say what the board has decided so far.

Who decides, and how to weigh in

The Zoning Board of Appeals decides both planned development petitions; the Planning Board rules on the Taco Bell stormwater permit. The hearings are held in person, the agendas say. The Oct. 22 agenda adds that the meeting may also be viewed live on SATV Channel 96, if available, or on YouTube. The Oct. 29, Nov. 5 and Nov. 12 sessions are at the Old Town Hall, 1480 County St., at 6 p.m., and the agendas say they are recorded and posted to YouTube. The application and plans for the battery project are on file with the town clerk, 508-646-2818, ext. 3. The town planner's office is at 508-646-2809 or amessier@townofsomerset.org.

Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.

How we verified this

Every fact comes from 14 agendas and notices the town posted in its Agenda Center and its staff directory, listed below. The agendas are scanned copies, which we read page by page. We read them on Oct. 18. The town has not posted zoning board or Planning Board minutes for these hearings, so this story does not say what either board has decided; the Oct. 15 outcome is not on the town website. The site visit notice names a Salt Cod Energy application; the agendas name the petitioner as Somerset Energy Storage LLC, and no posted record we found states how the two names relate. We left out the names of private applicants on other agenda items and of the private person who filed the stormwater application. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar and each claim against the agendas. South Coast 360 sought comment Sunday from the town planner; no reply yet.

Corrections

No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.

Sources (15)

  1. Planning Board agenda, Oct. 20, 2026 (clerk stamp Oct. 13)Town of Somerset. Taco Bell stormwater permit, Karissa Lyn Court bond hearing, time and place. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  2. Planning Board agenda, Sept. 22, 2026 (revised; clerk stamp Sept. 22)Town of Somerset. "Endorsed Extension Thru 10.31.26" note on the stormwater permit. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  3. Planning Board agenda, Aug. 11, 2026 (clerk stamp Aug. 7)Town of Somerset. "continued from 5.26.26" and the peer review note. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  4. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Oct. 22, 2026 (clerk stamp Sept. 29)Town of Somerset. DDO New England LLC (Taco Bell) petition, time, place, viewing options. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  5. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Sept. 10, 2026 (clerk stamp Aug. 27)Town of Somerset. Taco Bell petition, continuance requested for revisions. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  6. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Oct. 29, 2026 (clerk stamp Oct. 16)Town of Somerset. Battery storage petition, owner, zoning districts, place, recording. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  7. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Nov. 5, 2026 (clerk stamp Oct. 16)Town of Somerset. Battery storage petition. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  8. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Nov. 12, 2026 (clerk stamp Oct. 16)Town of Somerset. Battery storage petition. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  9. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Oct. 15, 2026 (clerk stamp Oct. 8)Town of Somerset. Battery storage petition at the Fairfield Inn and Suites. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  10. Zoning Board of Appeals notice of site visit, Oct. 1, 2026 (clerk stamp Sept. 29)Town of Somerset, Town Planner. Sound wall site visit, Stevens Street. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  11. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Oct. 1, 2026 (clerk stamp Sept. 18)Town of Somerset. Battery storage petition. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  12. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Sept. 17, 2026 (clerk stamp Sept. 15)Town of Somerset. Battery storage petition. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  13. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Sept. 3, 2026 (clerk stamp Aug. 28)Town of Somerset. Battery storage petition, Middle School auditorium. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  14. Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, Aug. 6, 2026 (revised; clerk stamp Aug. 4)Town of Somerset. Battery storage petition, Middle School auditorium. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  15. Staff DirectoryTown of Somerset. Town planner and town clerk phone and email. Read Oct. 18, 2026.

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