More Details on Boloco Withdrawal

Boloco, the regional burrito chain that had planned to open a store in Waltham, was forced to withdraw its plans after the site's owner opted out of the plans in the wake of many delays, according to e-mails to Boloco CEO John Pepper. 

The development comes in the wake of the burrito chain announcing it was abandoning plans for a Waltham location.

Duffy Properties, which owns the 475 Winter St. site where Boloco would have located, said they could not afford any more delays at the city government's request, according to the emails. 

"What a shame for any small (or large) business (or any individual, on that note) to endure such incredible bureaucracy (nearly 2 years since we signed our Letter of Intent) at such incredible cost (still tallying, but close to $100,000).  A first for us in our nearly 16 years of business," Pepper wrote in an emails to Mayor Jeanette McCarthy and several city councilors. 

Cancellation of the plans comes after the city's Rules & Ordinance Committee, which was reviewing the chain's request for a special fast food permit, asked for more time to consider a decision. All fast food restuarants looking to open in Waltham must obtain a special permit from the City Council before opening. 

The withdrawal request came more than a year after the burrito chain announced its plans for Waltham.

City Councilor Edmund Tarallo, who chairs the Rules & Ordiannce Committee, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Despite the withdrawal, Pepper told Waltham Patch that McCarthy reached out to him to try to resolve the issue. In his note to city officials, Pepper hailed Councilors Robert Logan, George Darcy and Daniel Romard for their attempts to resolve the issues.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out ... Perhaps we'll try again some day :)," Pepper wrote.