Planning Board Considers More, And Less, Parking

The Planning Board heard back-to-back applications Wednesday night seeking a positive recommendation to the Zoning Board for parking relief. However, the requests were polar opposites, with one applicant seeking more parking spaces than allowed and the other seeking fewer. More surprising? The properties of the two applicants abut each other.

The Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend both requests to the Zoning Board, which meets later this month.

The properties, at 1598 and 1672 South County Trail, are divided by a ditch, making the sharing of parking spaces impractical.

Tucson Property Management, which owns 1598 South County Trail, is building a 60,000 square foot training facility that will cater to out-of-town visitors. Poliquin Performance plans to move its operation from Ladd Street in downtown East Greenwich to the South County address when construction is complete.

According to Poliquin owner and CEO Caroleen Jones, the site will not need the number of parking spaces typically required for a building zoned light industrial because most of the people who will be attending training course there will be transported via van from their hotel.

Poliquin Performance trains athletic trainers from around the world, according to Jones. 

Jones convinced Planning Board members that her business did not need the typical required parking. Members were also satisfied that any subsequent property owner wanting to change the use of the building would need to come back before the town. Members voted 6-0 in favor of recommending the variance to the Zoning Board.

The second applicant was the owner of a medical office building at 1672 South County Trail, which has proved such a popular destination that some visitors have either parked on the grass or parked across the street, forcing them to cross a busy road. While there are many dermatologists in the building, there is also a pediatrician, where the number of sick visits can be unpredictable.

The problem is that while all buildings on that section of South County Trail require a 100-foot setback, most are able to put parking within that setback. The 1672 building, however, is across the street from one of the few remaining residences on South County Trail. Because of that, the ordinance says that there can be no parking within that 100 foot setback.

After extended discussion, however, Planning Board members – recognizing that other buildings on the road have parking spaces within the setback – voted 6-0 in favor of recommending the variance to the Zoning Board.