Tyngsborough Planning Board Approves Dance Studio at Industrial Way, 4-1

TYNGSBOROUGH -- March 20, 2025, Tyngsborough Planning Board greenlights a second dance studio on Industrial Way over a neighboring studio's objections. The board voted 4-1 at its March 20 meeting to grant a special use permit to Lisa Tenzar, doing business as Dance Energy, to open a children's dance studio in a roughly 1,200-square-foot unit at One Industrial Way, relocating from Chelmsford where the studio has operated since 2001. Kathy Coughlin, co-owner of the adjacent Center Stage Dance Academy, told the board the two studios would be separated by fewer than 400 feet, would teach identical disciplines, and would operate "at the exact same time," raising concerns about parking congestion and parent confusion, but Chair Pamela Berman told Coughlin that nothing in Tyngsborough's bylaws restricts competitive businesses by distance: "competition's good." The board also unanimously approved a minor site plan modification allowing CNG Realty Trust to expand a crane services facility at Five Industrial Way from 14,600 to 18,000 square feet, and recommended three zoning bylaw amendments, covering floodplain districts and updated definitions including accessory dwelling units, for inclusion in the town meeting warrant; all three were tied to compliance with new FEMA flood maps taking effect July 8, 2025. The owner of the Five Industrial Way project told the board he has already obtained a paving quote from Family Paving and plans to repair potholes across the full length of Industrial Way within one month.