You've probably driven by 280 Chelmsford St, the burned out looking home next to Market Basket, and wondered about it. Only a short while ago it was a decent, owner-occupied home.

Things changed shortly after it was purchased by a new owner. He demoed the interior and boarded up the home. He removed many of the trees, which formerly shielded the abutting neighbors from the lights of the commercial properties next door. Worse, in it's abandoned state it began to attract people who would break in.

After the unit sat abandoned for a period, the new owner approached the zoning board and pointed out that the unit was no longer habitable and requested that it be rezoned commercial.

While the proposed plan was to put a nail salon there, the requested zoning change would permit anything from a store front to a car lot.

More than 70 neighbors appeared at the zoning board meeting to point out:

• The zoning has always been residential on the north side of Chelmsford street, and that this would begin to erode that.
• The trees removed were supposed to be protected by a covenant in place with Market Basket.
• That Chelmsford street is within blocks of the Westlands elementary school.

The request to change the zoning was denied. However, the trees have not been restored, and the unit remains unkempt.