Zoning Board - Regular Meeting

Right. And that one is the easement, the maintenance easement, is that perpetual? Is it for a lifetime? Yeah.

Okay.

Oh.

Do we have enough?

I think we need one more.

One more, Al. Yeah, I just texted him to make sure he's coming.

Thank you.

Is this one package? Two separate.

Yeah.

Two separate pictures. So take one of each. Yeah. Thank you.

Okay.

Yeah, that should be a non-issue. Thank you. All right.

So now that we are all here, we need someone to fill in as the chair tonight.

Is it fill in or is it to be elected chair for the point?

It wasn't long enough time for me to put it on the page. But we don't have a chair. So is anyone willing to act as chair that you?

I can't be the chair.

Don't look at me.

Paul and Al are the two longest-running members of the board.

I think you do so much better.

All right.

You want to fill in? Perfect. There you go. Thank you. Thank you. You can sit in the main spot if you want.

They're not a chair right now of the board, or they're just absent today?

They're not. They've resigned.

When?

A couple weeks ago.

Okay, on the next meeting, you need to do an agenda item.

Yes. Okay. Yes.

You know, to form someone.

Yeah.

Whenever that will be six months from now. You want would you like some hard copies? Yeah, please. Oh, title.

If you want to. I won't buy it. I promise.

All right. I don't get default chair.

So since the packets were sent out, we got letters from the opposition to The fourth agenda item. So those are in the packet today if you want to read those.

OK. doesn't appear to be storage

No, they purchased that in the plant. What does that mean?

So they purchased that and then built the non-conforming one.

Yeah, they don't match. But they built, they bought it at...

Okay, they, that, those non-conforming, that non-conforming density has been more before they purchased it. Okay. You believe or you think that's... I haven't confirmed it. Okay, you put it in here, so...

I don't want to be... That's enough. They were saying at the meeting. I was supporting you. This is a first.

We'll find out. Yeah.

That's the first one. Okay, all right.

I can check right now.

All right. Maybe I should ask him. Let's see what his thoughts are. We have four more minutes. Yeah, four more minutes.

absolutely all right so this building was constructed in 1964. he said that's the question and it was last sold in 1998. okay so all that time was that non-performing yes i'm wondering they just revised it this is this was done by a professional

This could be done, like, whatever. But this and this just don't look like stories. That looks like an addition. I mean, is it going to be a space or a story? It's a good catch.

Ruben Duran, City of Boulder, So we had a request to. Ruben Duran, City of Boulder, 1726 the second item, instead of the last one. Ruben Duran, City of Boulder, Because we have a town council in here. Ruben Duran, City of Boulder, Thanks to do after that so trying to get it out of here.

He might be listening.

You want to move item for work, the number three, three and four.

Yeah, so let's do a switch in this today. Each one is sure of me. Terrible. Yeah, but this is for the wrong office. Thanks. Well, we'll just do the distinction.

Okay.

630. Yeah, I guess 630.

I think we're ready to start it.

Let's roll.

Call the town of North Providence zoning board to order.

Call the North Providence zoning board meeting for June 11th, 2026 to order. First order of business is the roll call. Ken Scotti?

Here.

Donald Panarelli? Here. Al Cardente? Here. Angelica Boves? Here. And Paul Pizzi is present.

Brent Wiegand, Town Planner.

Okay, first order of business, we need a motion to approve the minutes from the meeting of September 18th, 2025. i'll make the motion is there a second second any opposition motion passes okay second item is 1726 mid street yeah make a motion to move that up to agenda item number two i thought it was number three two two is there a second a second okay everybody a favor aye passed okay 1726 smith street agenda item two assessors platt 13 lot 155 applicant carlos rodriguez 2170 middle spring avenue north providence description request for an eight space parking variance under section 701 minimum off street parking requirements for a board game lounge in an existing structure Can you please give me a name and address please?

Yes. Carlos Rodriguez. And I have the business owner with me also.

Genesis Sanchez Tavares and with me, August Bogner, business owners of the game house.

I'm sorry. Could you just spell your, uh, both of your names please?

Sure. Genesis, G-E-N-E-S-I-S. Last name's Sanchez, S-A-N-C-H-E-Z. Tavares, T-A-V-A-R-E-Z.

My name is August, spelled just like the month. And last name is Bogner, B-O-G-N-E-R.

Thank you. Carlos Rodriguez, C-A-R-L-O-S, Rodriguez, R-O-D-R-I-G-U-E-S.

If you could just state your case.

So today, I'm the owner of 1726 Smith Street, and I have Genesis in August here today just to, they want to open up a board game. So we're looking for some parking relief. Um, and I guess it's eight spaces that we're looking for.

Any comments or anyone here?

We're already nine short eight, eight short.

overall for the whole property not just for the business but property-wide for there's four businesses in the property so 21 spaces are required and only 12 are provided currently correct uh there there are a few uh on-street parking spaces um that could be taken into account those are public so first come first here

on Smith Street yes if I may also um our business hours are the opposite of everybody else's and so the parking needs are met through the fact that we're not competing with them for spaces during our operating hours um some people like to speak okay well if we could separate their presentation from public comment we'll keep it separate are we done with the presentation

Yeah, I mean, in fact, what Jennifer just said is. Their business hours are going to be pretty much the opposite of what the other businesses are. So they open up the doors at, like, 5 o'clock when most of the other businesses are closing down.

Yeah, that and there's significant community interest already. We've been approached by the valley breeze turn to 10 Providence business news and also the Rhode Island business is waiting to add us to a. a booklet of places to visit in Rhode Island. And so we're really hoping that with our hours and the community interest in the fact that we're not looking for eight additional parking, which I think was a confusion of some of the tenants that we are able to move forward with this business.

Public comment, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Folks, I'm very much in favor of August and his business. Can you state your name, please? Councilman Steve DiLorenzo. Okay.

Thank you.

Sorry about that. I should know that, shouldn't I?

Yeah.

Very much in favor of August and his business. Nice young man, nice couple here. I wish them well. They have plenty of parking in the back spot. However, there is no room for eight more spots anywhere. Currently, right now, You can't even move over there. There's five businesses in that building. There's the construction business. There's a tattoo place. There's soon to be the game room. I don't know that the license is required to have five businesses there. However, there is no place to park cars. I get constant calls. I've already had one side of the street, no parking, which sometimes works, sometimes it doesn't. But there is no room to put any more parking there. It's terrible as it stands now. So I would like to... not have that there any longer a parking i hope the business does well you can use the parking in the back i wish him all the luck in the world he's a good kid but as far as parking concerned there's no spots i don't know if you guys are familiar with it there's there's no place to park a car thank you you know under the next public comment

um if the applicant could respond um to that to that question if I'm correct you're not asking for eight additional spaces correct you're asking for a variance of the eight spaces okay okay so Councilman does that address your question I know it's a little bit confusing

Why do you need 8 more spaces when you have the 8 spaces in the parking lot in the back already? Why do you need 8 more?

The request is not to is they're not requesting to add 8 spaces.

Why do you have to make a variance for it? Why do you have to get an approval of that?

So the log section 7 has a table of uses and every use requires a certain amount of parking spaces per use. so the uses that exist and are proposed on this site require 21 spaces right is the demand and they only have was 12. right so because they so they need the variance to make up for the demand that's required of them so this would essentially allow them to have not 21 spaces and operate

an existing condition so so so the question i have is if you will approve this it stays exactly the way it is nothing changes that's correct it would it would stay so the the site would stay the same however the intensity of the site would increase okay that's what we don't need we don't need the intensity of the cars in the neighborhood at this point it's bad as it stands There is no room. There is no room to park any cars anywhere. If you guys ever went around it, you would see, and some of the neighbors are here, that there's just, there's no room. I mean, fire trucks sometimes can't get through because they park on both sides of the street and you can't get through. Maybe I can have one.

So, as it exists,

is uh 21 spaces is what required as it exists with that new board game cafe it says the total parking demand goes up to 29. i'm sorry did i get my numbers right i wasn't looking at the uh i was quoting your numbers before so i'll just go through the table right now um salon that requires one space for every 250 square feet uh this is six six base demand for the salon The office requires one space for every 250 square feet. So that requires two spaces based on the size. The barber requires one space for every 250 square feet, which requires three spaces. The tattoo studio requires one space for every 250 square feet. This is a larger building that requires 10, larger unit, I should say. And then the proposed board game cafe requires one space for every three occupants, which is eight spaces required.

So the, the property as it stands right now, should have 21 spaces it has 12 meaning these other businesses that already exist there have come to this board or other boards in the past and requested variances of this exact same type and was granted those variances so this applicant is coming to this board this would this new use would require eight spaces in additional to the 12 that already exists This applicant is requesting this board to grant a variance of all eight spaces. Is that correct? Requiring, meaning the parking lot would not change at all.

Right. I'm just reading what's over here saying that the property demand, the parking demand goes up to 29.

Right. Correct. So the parking demand with this new use would require 29. Right. And we have 12 we have 12 we it's already non conforming with the 12. And then the request is that it remain at the 12. And I know it's I know this is confusing. So I apologize for trying to explain this, but that so it's not a request of new parking. It's a request to leave it exactly the same, even though there's a new business.

No, I understand.

Okay. Thank you. Excuse me. One second. I just want to get the arithmetic. Yeah. So basically what it says is that even though the other ones were already existing, just so I understand the. We have 12 out of 29 that would be needed with the new facility.

Yeah, I'm sorry to interrupt. Would you mind just speaking to the microphone?

Okay. So we have, we have. that we the goal would be to have 29 but we only have 12 so we're at 17 short adding another eight short brings us to 25 cars short of the required parking spaces is that correct yeah so it's non-conforming with less parking than it should have currently but they're adding a new use that requires eight spaces so the variance is for

All the spaces required for the new use.

My only concern is that even though it's non-conforming, we're just adding another eight spaces to the 17 that we're short. Demand. Yes. Demand for eight spaces. Yeah. Okay. Without adding the spaces. So it would be basically 25 less of what would be required as a conforming, not a non-conforming.

No, so they have 12 and the demand's for 29. So the difference would be that.

between 12 and 29. okay all right so the 12 and 20. okay and there are seven off street parking spaces I mean there are seven Street parking spaces so on the Smith 17 Smith Street

i'm sorry i also like to say about the uh construction company i believe is this gentleman's here on the bottom which takes up a lot of spots so there's hardly any parking anywhere around here i'm sorry go ahead uh michelle bacon oregon avenue um so if this variance is proposed where do they plan on parking these cars these additional cars where would they park

Do you want to respond?

If you come up one at a time, please.

Uh, the 1st thing is, I know that we're asking for a variance of the existing parking spots as we mentioned, our operating hours are the opposite of existing businesses.

So why would you need additional parking?

We just need them to allow us to run the business, even though the hours are the opposite. So, right now, we cannot start the business, even though we wouldn't necessarily need more parking until the parking variance is approved to comply with the law. But because the existing parking spaces will be used entirely by us for the most part during our operation hours. It's not going to change the number of cars coming in and out of the space.

With no disrespect to you. Why was the business allowed to be rented to these people knowing that they didn't have the proper parking available to you? That should have been provided and made a weird to these people if it wasn't, I don't know, to these people that this is something that you don't have enough of it that requiring.

Well, so we don't think that there is a lack of parking because again, we can use the parking spaces that are not. If the hair salon closes at four and we open at five, we take the hair salons parking spots. If the barbershop closes at five or four and we open at five, we take the barbershops. And so we're taking everybody else's spots so that we have sufficient spaces and The second piece is that our business is primarily advertised to the students from both North Providence High School, but also Rhode Island College. And not all of them are driving cars. We are and chose this location where we're choosing so that people are within walking distance, but we're not increasing the demand for cars. We're just taking over the existing spaces.

Well, in all reality, you may be taking spaces if the people that are attending certain hours of operation during your attending certain board games, that they would be taking up spaces on Oregon Avenue, the next street, if there's no parking. I don't know how many people you plan on having at these events, or it could be 20 people. Where are they parking? In front of my house?

Well, they're parking in front of the next 12 spaces, and then the eight additional spaces on Smith Street. So where are these eight additional spaces going?

They aren't going. There's no additional spaces proposed.

Why would you allow this variance to pass? Uh, to get a business in town and increase the tax base, but if there's not proper or sufficient parking for these people, it shouldn't be allowed.

Well, there may that that is what the board is deciding tonight. If the, her argument is that the business hours are alternating. So there's going to be an empty parking lot after 5. When all the business is close, they're able to utilize for their business.

They don't have enough. And sometimes they do go past five o'clock. That parking lot, excuse the French, is a shit show. That whole area is a shit show. They have dump trucks coming in and out of the facility day and day until evening, early evening. And they have no respect for the neighbors or for parking in that area. can really get out of our driveways to the existing problems of people parking on the street it's difficult back out of your driveway as cars coming down the road it's a very short distance from the top of the road to various drivers that exist right there you have the business then you have a couple of houses coming down the street all right so do you have any anything else to add to your public comment

i have a question what is the max capacity of the uh game house we we don't know because our application is pending the parking variance so we haven't yet been granted a specific occupancy i think it's about 20 if we were calculating ourselves and doing the math but i don't know that we have an occupancy rate as of yet so i believe the fire marshal gave it a 21 person occupancy

uh divided by three i think there was uh we round out for parking so because you can't have a quarter it was mentioned about three spaces uh one space for every three people that is the demand for restaurants cafes and that use code

just just to clarify i know when you were going over the number of parking spaces required you gave a number for the office space but the office space and the game house are the same and so those are not separate entities we take up both spaces in that case they would need two less space variants i was not aware of that i thought that was still operating yeah i think we clarified it at the planning board last time that the office space and the game house are one space i think in you maybe have a wall there but there's um a door so it's just two rooms when i went down there i saw the wall and i thought it was a completely separate no we have a barn door so it just slides open and then there's it's just the game house so there is no office so in that case this uh request is revised to a six base variance

Any other?

Yes.

So the numbers you just gave for the hair salon, there is 12 chairs in there, which there's 12 hairdressers, which means there's 12 people getting their haircuts. Just so you know, that alone probably fills everything. That right there. Without everything else going on.

again if i may reiterate we would be operating after the hair salon closes and so we wouldn't um be taking up additional spaces we would be taking up the existing spaces excuse me what what are your hours of operation going to be our hours of operation are monday through thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm uh fridays from 5 pm to 10 and then saturdays and sundays from 2 in the afternoon to 10 pm

uh the hairdresser is open to 8 p.m that's their hours listed on their uh site not five any other public comment okay up for the discussion i'm sorry discussion yeah i guess All right, my, my concern is the quality of life for the residents of Oregon Avenue. Obviously, if there's the fire trucks have an emergency responders having trouble getting up and down the street, that's a safety safety issue in itself. Um. I'd like to make a recommendation. That the residents get approval from the town council. for resident parking only signs in front of their residence on Aragon Avenue. And if that's approved, then grant this motion for the variance for the parking spaces.

So if we did it that way, we would have to continue this until we got our decision from the town council, or you'd have to approve tonight conditional to town council approval of those was the signage the no parking ordinances being approved.

Mister chair from correct if I'm correct there are no parking signs already erected on Oregon Avenue according to the letters from some of the neighbors. It's just it's discussion.

Excuse me that's incorrect there is a no parking sign on the right hand side coming down Oregon Avenue I just had to put in about maybe a month and a half 2 months ago because they were talking about sides and no one can get by so to the town council. to the ordinance committee. We have one put there on the right hand side coming in on the right hand side because the people from the beauty salon were parking there and people couldn't get by. So yes, there is one that goes down about 50 60 feet.

So if the board wanted to make a motion,

contingent on signs just note that there are signs on the right side already I'd like to make a recommendation to approved approved um I mean um so the chair can't make a motion so one of these uh other board members would have to make a movement

if i if i may um i understand the the concern in wanting to put a no parking sign on the street i don't think that approving our zoning variance changes much other than allowing us to operate our business in the opposite hours as most of the businesses are already in there while simultaneously going through whatever process needs to be gone through to get no parking signs in there and so i would ask um if possible that these things happen simultaneously or that we can still have the parking variance approved with the understanding that there they can the town will then have to place no parking signs because again it doesn't really change it sounds like they're talking about existing problems and we don't make those worse we um keep the status quo these are questions for approval with conditions that the town council

approve no parking signs. Would anyone make a motion to Oh, I'm sorry.

I just wanted to add, she's actually taken over a space that was a business at one point. So there was a juice bar for a few years that came and got licensed for this space. She's actually just filling that void right now. She hasn't created like a new space that she's moving into. This was a juice bar, a business operating. They just chose to, they had two locations in North Providence. So they just moved to the one on Middle Spring. So they don't have two spots anymore.

Yeah, and I think that was part of the reason for the lack of concern. So the juice bar is on Mineral Spring, I think 1716 there. And we were originally going to go there, but there wasn't enough parking. And so we figured we'd swap places with them so that we wouldn't have a similar issue. Given that the business had already been approved and operating before we entered.

I just, it's a significant number of spaces short altogether, but. If all the other people had it, you know, what do you do?

Are we voting on your emotion or are we making there's no motion on the floor so the chair can't make a motion. So 1 of the members would like to make a motion and there's a 2nd, then you guys could do a vote.

all right i'll make a motion to deny the uh eight eight or six spot parking variance i second that all in favor all in favor to deny it to deny the parking variance all right that's the motion yeah improving the parking yeah

Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't understand if we could just speak louder into the mic.

I seconded in favor to deny variance. Are you and I'm not in favor of the night.

So, if you would like to make another motion while this, and you can, but this emotions on, so there's a motion on the floor right now, and it's been seconded. The chair actually can't second emotion.

I apologize.

so there's a motion on the floor there is no second there's because there's no second if someone else would like to make a competing motion they may do so otherwise i need a second i don't want to deny it totally but i think maybe the opportunity for the council to approve as well so to bring it back to the council you can create conditions of approval here

mean you can have a business you can be creative i want it to work properly i think the business is operating right it's currently operating no no we took over an operating businesses space but obviously subject to the permits and getting our business license approved i don't want to become on hold for a couple of months we took over the space back in february and just between getting everything um sorted and all the paperwork in place and zoning board and planning board uh we've been delayed

yeah i i make a motion to approve with conditions additional i would second that so we would need conditions so you guys can limit hours of opera limit hours operation limit occupancy you can you can do a number of things to make this project work if you feel like it you want it to be approved well i i would say we approve it with conditions

for review from the council, you know, for signage or whatever, you know, I mean, I don't know, I don't want to be on business friendly.

So you would need to just send specific conditions to the council. So if this board wants to discuss and the chair, of course, can discuss along with the board conditions that you think you would want to send to the town council, you could make a motion to approve it based on those conditions.

Would recommend that it goes to the council for Resident parking only signs in front of the residents on Oregon Avenue. And if it's approved by the town council, then variance would pass. That's a recommendation from me. I approve that.

Would anyone care to make a motion?

Somebody has to make that motion.

Okay, so guys, we got to speak in the microphone. We have to speak clearly for our stenographer. Okay. She's not present. She's on the on the computer. Oh, so if somebody wants to make a motion, they need to clearly say what their motion is and what conditions they're going to put forth. And then someone will need to second that motion. The chair is unable to make those motions. So that's why I'm facing the three of you.

Sorry, may I ask a clarifying question? In terms of the recommended conditions who like, I guess, to try and understand the process if the condition is that the town approve a no parking sign on the other side of the street? Is that something we would bring to the council? Is that something that the zoning board brings to the council? I'm been in North Providence for two years. So excuse me for not knowing what the process here would be.

So that is something that someone would have to

petition the town council for and does does it have to be i'm just wondering if it's limited to residents of that street i guess i'm i'm trying to understand why you know the residents of oregon street they could bring over the the request to the city uh to the town council and then we can separately have her i'm just

apologies for the confusion but in terms of understanding who has the power to bring something about a street sign for a street that i do not live in would it be the resident or would it be the business so essentially anyone has that power okay i think in this situation they're requesting that they you do it as part of this project is that my understanding the zoning board can the zoning board can request it all right so the zoning board is is that what you guys want to do

You would have to read, I'm sorry, your first name again? Donald.

Donald.

Would he have, if he agrees, I'm sorry, if Donald agrees to withdraw his, you know, denying, was that?

I don't think I'd have to. Guys, I know we haven't met in a while.

Second. There was no second, so it doesn't have to be. Okay, but I just thought he had to withdraw.

There's a motion on the floor. There's no second. That motion died because there's been no second. There has not been a clear motion put forth yet by this board. If the board wants to, what I'm hearing is the board wants to, somebody wants to make a motion to approve with the condition that no parking signs be added on Oregon Street, then somebody on this board should make that motion with that condition and request that that condition be sent to the town council for approval. that would be the recommendation if that's the way the board wants to go if the board wants to go a different way the motion would still need to be clear and concise so everyone understands what the motion is yeah i mean i'll make a motion to approve contingent on um town council electing to put additional signage of no parking resident only parking and you would ask that the zoning board send that to the town council

And I would ask that the zoning board send that to the town comes.

Is there a 2nd, I'll 2nd. All in favor all in favor.

Say, aye, if you're in favor, I'm in favor.

I.

Say, nay, if you're not in favor.

Okay.

The motion passes 3 to 1. So, this is approved based on this is approved if the town council approves resident only. Signage that will be sent to the town council by. Our town planner from the zoning board, so there's no need for you to make that application to the town council individually. Do you have any questions?

Sure. We haven't met in a while. I apologize. No worries. What's the timeline? So when does it go get sent to the town council? And then when is it heard?

We would send that request immediately. The next next town council meeting, I presume is first Tuesday of the month, first Tuesday of the month. Okay.

So it would be the first, which is that this, it might be, it might suspend that meeting. It may suspend that meeting because of the 4th of July. sure what the calendar is it's scheduled for july 7th do you know that okay all right thank you item number two Okay that's great item number three 30 Elliott Avenue Assessors Platte nine lot 461 and 462 applicant owner Lee selfie 30 Elliott Avenue North Providence Rhode Island zero two nine zero four description request for an 8.1 left side setback variance to construct a two-story garage with stories storage space below

Good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the board, attorney David Ursillo, for the record, bar number 6620 at law offices here in North Providence at 7 Waterman Avenue at the law office of Gregory Chenone. I'm here tonight representing the owners and the applicant, Amy. and Lee Sufi of 30 Elliott Avenue regarding this property. We're here tonight asking you for a one-dimensional variance relief for a side setback in order for my clients to construct a two-level garage, which, as you'll hear from Mr. Sufi, is mainly to store their products for their part-time business called Maria Coffee, Mobile Coffee, and to store their trailer in the garage. This property is known as Plat 19, lots 461 and 462. The property is actually 4,200 square feet. That in and of itself makes this a non-conforming lot. In and of itself then it becomes a unique piece of property because it's very difficult to be able to add a garage on a property at this size. This house is how this property has a single family structure on it, which is about 1400 square feet. They'd like to add what would be considered a modest single car garage to story to match. You should have plans in front of you. Regarding the design and how it will be laid out. By background facing standing in Elliot street, looking at the house, the garage would be placed to the left side. The one-dimensional variance needed is for that left side setback. Your zoning ordinance, as you know, requires a 10-foot setback for this garage off the property line. Due to the unique nature of this property and the closeness and smallness of it, we would have this garage situated roughly at two feet off the garage. So we need 8.1 feet of relief from side setback. That is the only piece of variance that we need. We will be able to establish with the testimony and as you see with the documents that this is unique, we will establish that the hardship of this property was not created by my client. and that it will be consistent and continue to be consistent with the surrounding area and the character of the area, which is single family homes, many of which with single car garages or two car garages. And we'll be able to show that this will be more than merely inconvenience due to what they're trying to do and accomplish with this garage. now i know the zoning board probably has before it a negative recommendation from your planning board regarding this project however i'd like to mention a couple of things about that negative recommendation one as the zoning board that is only a recommendation it is not authoritative to you and you are not bound by that recommendation in any way as a zoning board you have complete and unfettered discretion to decide this matter on its merits and take that recommendation for how you want to fit it into it. Additionally, the planning board's negative recommendation for the most part did not really center on the elements that they were concerned with regarding overall planning. They had more of a concern with the nature of how it was being built and access and closeness to the yard. So although their recommendation I disagree with, they did have a couple of decent points, which we have now tried to address. We have recently sent to you updated plans to specifically show the three concerns that the planning board had in their negative recommendation. The first concern they had was, where are you going to put the extra water now from the garage? We have submitted the galley system, which my client will testify. And I also have the builder here who can testify that what happens is you put this big cement concrete thing in the ground, you bury it and it drains into that and it dissipates the water. And that is the manner in which we will take care of that. My client will testify they're willing to do that. Second, the planning board also had an issue regarding access. How are you getting in and out of this place? We've provided updated plans, front garage, rear door, And access from the kitchen into the upstairs space, which my client will explain to you what they actually need to do with this upstairs space, is to store the equipment and cups and things like that in a more controlled environment. And then last, the big concern that the planning board had in their negative recommendation, which we've also addressed, is they were concerned the property would be very close to the side of the line. How are you going to work on this side of the house? You're only going to have a couple of feet. You may need to go into your neighbor's yard. That can become a problem. You should have, well, actually your solicitor and your planner now have before you an easement that my client's neighbor, a budding neighbor, has signed. Again, it hasn't been notarized only because it's subject to your solicitor reviewing it. But the abutting neighbor is willing to sign something that allows my client 10 feet wide from the abutting line into his property for when my client would need access to that side yard to do work on his garage or take care of anything. And that easement has parameters that if my client does anything that causes damage, driving something on or putting a ladder, they repair that person's property. So that's basically the summary. We believe we can address all the negative recommendations. So not only do you not have to accept their recommendation, we've addressed them. So if you do want to meet, weave that into your consideration, unless you have questions for me right now, I'd like to bring my client, Lee, Sophie forward to testify.

David, I have a couple of questions. Yes. That easement that the neighbor signed, the 10-foot easement, is that transferable upon sale of that property if that person sold their house?

It's recorded, correct. It runs with the land, they call it.

And this photo that we got tonight, is that what the new structure is going to look like?

Yes, that's to try to give you a little visualization of it.

So there's no upstairs like in this photo? No.

So the upstairs, yes, there's an upstairs in that photo too. See where those two windows are above? Yeah, but I'm looking at that. Right. It doesn't show the same. That's just to give you a rough elevation understanding of it. That won't be exactly what it looks like. Your plans are how it will look. This is to give you an idea of how it will be situated on the property. Okay. There will be a second level so that there can be storage. Any more questions for me?

No. All right.

At this time, I call Lee Sufi. What do you think?

Can you state your name? Lee Sufi.

And what's your address, Lee? 30 Elliott Ave. And do you live at that address all the time?

Yes. And who do you live there with? My wife and two boys.

How long have you lived there?

I've been there 11 years. And how long have you been living in North Providence overall i've been in North Providence 12 years my wife has grown up here her whole life and what do you do for work full time. i'm a utility worker and we have the coffee business and my wife is an X Ray tech and what's the coffee business Maria Maria and can you explain what that business is. We're a mobile coffee business. We travel all around the state. We'd love to stay in North Providence primarily. The festivals, we work with the libraries, police department, fire. Done a lot of schools. We do all the teacher appreciation events, stuff like that. All private and public pop-ups.

And are you here tonight asking the board to grant a variance so that you can construct a single car two level garage on your property?

Correct.

And you seek 8.1 feet of relief, correct?

Yes.

Do you have a garage there now?

No.

Why? Can you explain to the zoning board why you need this garage?

We'd like to keep it out of the elements. Right now we have two different storage units. Both out of the town, we have to go one storage unit and then in the winter we have to store store it in uh like a climate controlled garage just because of the plumbing the espresso machines etc so um and you're trying to keep this all contained to where you live correct so it's close by yeah you're not operating the business there no and coffee at your problem not at all no okay uh can you explain to the board uh how you plan to access the garage yep uh obviously garage door we have then there's going to be two doors

on the back uh believe top and bottom and then uh inside going through the bottom and then one going through the kitchen so it's four total that might be with the garage so and if there was any requirement for any type of fire rated door are you willing to put that in for those doors interiorly yes now with respect to the garage uh do you plan on having anyone live inside of it no do you plan on maybe having somewhat of a climate control environment limited

Yeah, just enough for the pipes not to freeze in the trailer.

Now, you were familiar with the Planet Boys negative recommendation. You were there that night, correct?

Yes.

And you heard what their concerns were.

Yes.

Have you tried to address those concerns? yeah i think we have and one of the ways you try to address it is you're willing to put in a galley system to capture any water off of this new garage hard space roof correct correct and you're also limiting access so there's not an outdoor stairway to make it look like someone's living upstairs are you no okay and the other issue was getting access to the side of the garage on your neighbors can you explain um have you talked to your neighbor about that

Yeah, neighbors all aboard. He likes the idea. I think it's going to make it look better in general. And you'll be able to access it around the side. There's going to be like a gap. There's a fence there now that's going to be removed. There will be a way to get through. There'll be a doorway that you can open like a little gate that can go through the back or you can go through the garage door or right through the front door if needed.

did you discuss with him the ability to go on his property if you had to fix your side with an easement to having an easement to do so yes and was he willing to sign that yes now he hasn't notarized it to your knowledge correct no and is it because he you understood that i told you we need to solicit a look at everything first just in case of any revisions yes do you know where he is tonight he has an important event he was able to come to the last two they were both canceled or uh postponed so

uh we were hoping to have him here but he couldn't attend to this one now one of the members was just asking me about one of the exhibits we submitted here tonight that has the uh just the layout of the garage yeah that's just my terrible artwork of trying to give you an example of where the border of the where where it's going to lay on the on his property and then that's just so you have a rough

Not lay on his property layer to his property. Exactly. That's just an idea that, but the actual design of the plans that you've submitted. Correct? Correct. Now, since you and your wife bought this property. Have you tried to expand or create different dimensions to the actual size of the property?

No.

Have you done anything to change the dimensions of the property?

No.

Have you done anything to add other structures to the property that would change the dimensions in any way or create any other zoning issues?

No.

Now, with respect to this property. Have you considered the best place to locate this garage? Yes, and why did you consider this site?

That's that's the side with more space and where the. The drive where the length of the driveway goes along the house, you don't want to put a garage in the front. No.

And if you put in the girl in the rear, what would happen? Right, exactly.

So and then all the other houses in the neighborhood, the garages on the left side.

And I've been being living in this neighborhood for 11 years. Are you familiar with the other surrounding properties in your area?

Yes.

And are they also mainly single family homes? Yes. Do some of them have garages? Oh, yeah. And do you feel that if you added a garage, would it change the character and surrounding area of your neighborhood in any way?

No. I mean, if anything better, the

Better the neighborhood better the look of the house and you plan to build this garage to the plans that you're submitting. Correct? And if you're not granted the relief tonight, would it be more than a mere inconvenience if there was a denial of this variance? Yes. And why so.

Uh, where right now the downstairs has become our storage. We actually have that the 2nd trailer and the picture is also storage, which, if we get approved that. That trailer is going to go to our in laws house and then we'll have parking just for the 1. Um, we're just running out of space. We don't we love being where we are. I've moved around my whole life. So we want the kids to stay. like not changing schools and all that stuff we live two blocks away from steven only school and we want them to stay there and trying to find a house somewhere else we're most definitely going to have to change schools we really don't want to do that thank you please any answer any questions the board may have any comments no okay thank you thank you i have nothing further and listen any public comment

Their recommendation. For public comment, I'll open for public comment. It being none. Discussion.

I have no concerns. I'll make a motion to approve.

If everyone's just talking to the mic, please.

Yeah, I mean, I have no concerns. Uh, make a motion to approve. It has been a motion. Is there a 2nd 2nd.

All in favor. Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Motion passes, 4-0.

Item number 4, 1860 Mineral Spring Avenue, Assessors Platt.

18 lot 412. i'm not sure how to pronounce his name or jihad alirani 102-2 northern boulevard new york new york 11368 description request for a sport for parking space variance under section 710 minimum off-street parking requirements for by a right smoke shop Retail use on a property with two existing restaurant uses. How are you doing? Please state your name.

Yeah, how are you, everyone? My name is Mujahid Rouhani. I came here for the 1860 Marana Spring Avenue for the space for parking. And I also have a photo that I show in the parking for the last week. Thank you. For the whole weeks, different hours. The market is totally empty.

How many days?

It's a lot.

I don't know.

It's three photos for each day. So, showing different hours. That's 2.30. Thank you. This is 10.49. Let's see this. seven store hours store hours open from nine to eight pm the other business they open from afternoon to 11 o'clock and the coffee is getting busy in a night especially after nine before is the parking is empty all day i just want to give a little background on this property

a few months ago there was a parking issue here uh astra cafe was filling the lot um and there was uh parking in the street the police had to be called uh astra cafe has since addressed that so astra cafe got a violation he applied for his permit we sent him in for the variance because there was a parking issue the parking issue was cleared up between then and now there doesn't seem to be as much of a parking issue there because asher cafe now does valet friday saturday and sundays uh for their busiest hours so just keep that in mind you do valet where are the cars being parked i don't know why asher cafe is valet okay they're parking in gas station this is what he taught me all right okay and how many days a week are you open me

yeah it's seven days seven days until 8 p.m huh until 8 p.m all day yeah 8 p.m and uh the both business they close on monday so monday is temporarily closing any comments one is there a motion to approve i make a motion to approve is there a second a second if we could just uh

know there's no one in the audience but if we just open a public comment and close it just though sue is aware public comment no public comment is okay there's a motion on the floor a second it's been seconded all in favor all right all right all right motion passes four to zero thank you i'm sorry ken did you make that motion or was it done i mean all right

Motion to adjourn.

I'll make a motion to adjourn.

I'll second it.

All in favor? Aye. So you're all set. I'm going to draft a decision for you and it'll be recorded and then you'll be approved on the permit website.

There's one more thing. Can I open the business until finish those processes? No, no.

Unfortunately not, but we'll try to get this done as soon as possible. I'll try to write the decision tomorrow.

If that can be recorded by tomorrow, then I can check off the step in the portal.

I'll move on to...