Portsmouth zoners to rule on O'Reilly Auto Parts on Aug. 17

Concerns heard on hazardous materials, aesthetics, traffic and more

Posted 7/20/17

Abutters raised concerns over traffic, hazardous materials, building aesthetics, lighting and more during Thursday's Zoning Board of Review hearing on a plan to bring an O’Reilly Auto Parts store to Portsmouth.

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Portsmouth zoners to rule on O'Reilly Auto Parts on Aug. 17

Concerns heard on hazardous materials, aesthetics, traffic and more

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Abutters raised concerns over traffic, hazardous materials, building aesthetics, lighting and more during Thursday night’s Zoning Board of Review hearing on a plan to bring an O’Reilly Auto Parts store to Portsmouth.

After listening to experts testifying for petitioner Portsmouth RI Commercial, LLC, as well as seven residents who were opposed to the plan, the board ran up against its 10 p.m. cutoff time and had to continue the hearing to Thursday, Aug. 17, at which time members will likely vote on the application.

Developer and owner Gary Eucalitto wants to build a 7,250-square-foot store just north of the Dollar General, which is part of the same complex at the corner of East Main Road and Sprague Street. 

To do so, he needs an amendment to a 2015 special-use permit the zoning board granted to build the Dollar General Store along with a 6,000-square-foot building that was originally intended for a bank and restaurant on 2.9 acres of land.

Mr. Eucalitto’s new plan is to increase the size of that building by 1,250 square feet but use it for the O’Reilly store only. The Missouri-based chain, founded in 1957, has nearly 5,000 locations nationwide. It’s nearest shops are in Fall River, Warwick, Coventry and Providence. 

New roofline

On Thursday the zoning board heard a proposed change to the building’s design by the developer’s attorney, David Martland.

Mr. Martland said that based on comments at previous hearings, the developer now wants the O’Reilly building to have a pitched roof.

Board member John Borden supported the modification, saying he’s heard local residents complain that the Dollar General store resembles “a strip mall.”

“I personally would be in favor of this revised plan. I think it incorporates a lot more of what Portsmouth is looking for,” Mr. Borden said. “I think this takes us away from the strip mall look to the more traditional look.”

The change didn’t appease everyone, however. David Goetzinger, who lives about a mile south of the development at 2908 East Main Road, called the proposed O’Reilly store “an extremely ugly building.”

Mr. Goetzinger made similar comments back in April, when the Planning Board — then reviewing plans that called for a flat roofline — voted 5-1 to send a favorable advisory opinion regarding the project to the zoning board.

Another resident, Conni Harding of 84 Union St., also criticized the building’s looks. “This is such an improvement from what I’ve seen, but it can be better. It should go back to the Design Review (Committee),” she said, referring to the town panel that also sent a favorable review — again, based on the original design — to the zoning board.

The zoning board Thursday agreed to ask the design review board for its opinion on the new design, as that panel meets before Aug. 17.

Look for an expanded report on Thursday’s zoning board meeting in the July 27 print edition of The Portsmouth Times.

O'Reilly Auto Parts, Portsmouth Zoning Board of Review

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