Burlington Planning Board approves Van Leeuwen Ice Cream permit, bids farewell to two veterans

BURLINGTON -- April 3, 2025, Burlington Planning Board unanimously approves ice cream shop permit and bids farewell to two longtime members. The board voted 7-0 at its April 3 meeting to grant a special permit to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream for a 17-seat shop in the lower level of the Burlington Mall at 75 Middlesex Turnpike, occupying space formerly held by Au Bon Pain; the brand's vice president of marketing, Katie Roberts, said a summer 2025 opening is planned. The meeting was dominated by tributes to departing Chair William Gaffney, who served 11 years on the Planning Board, and member Ernie Covino, who logged 42 combined years on the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board, drawing remarks from State Representative Kristin Kassner, Select Board members Michael Espejo and Sarah Colley, and officials from the offices of state Representative Ken Gordon and U.S. Representative Seth Moulton. Covino estimated he had attended approximately 720 Planning Board meetings. The board also withdrew without prejudice a contested MBTA Communities Multifamily Overlay District zoning amendment and continued three special permit applications to April 17; planning staff flagged that the police station building project has missed a filing deadline, putting the applicant's stated August demolition start in jeopardy.