[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6183879,"mediaKeyId","5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4","parentId",5093562,"title","Votes at a glance: Fall River Zoning Board of Appeals, June 26, 2025","audioSeconds",9043,"startMs",0,"endMs",9043000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4&start=0&end=9043","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4/thumbnail_0.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6183879/Fall-River-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Votes-at-a-glance-Fall-River-Zoning-Board-of-Appeals-June-26-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183879-7d7dceb389578da58a1bb41e91456bac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448519&Signature=mxaU1qggssHSXOelNUnPm5Je9VItDlQs67vmVBKR5jdOHHaoNgrdthb4TrO1E3Wt3LFhXtq6YOAPhZtIGUF-yyKxnXv1RuFvaXouGzXgOw9OnaWVo94d-fkTVWL53M78ziox0vjoiZ3SGSccYQaUnH3FFdVT7HKWFHIkZhEsBagiaxxQztx6rYN-onU2NY8Q4VLzXxn136QP4xN1YtJkwfyp7xUhxghqPOP585w-e32FQlR9Kww0yI9BvKy-FEVcjwao4a1mUpOA13sOVXruqH~7hrm69Ffjsr7THJTzeM-xztbYCPmr-8MoFimrhlR1BgKyarEcTvheGZD3~u9BDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fall River City, MA","date","2025-06-28T01:49:27Z","article","The Zoning Board of Appeals took the following formal actions at its June 26, 2025 meeting (short summaries and key conditions):

- Rockview LLC (Old Business, O3) — Motion to table the petition to the July 17, 2025 meeting. Applicant paid tabling fee; matter will be first on the July agenda. (Outcome: tabled.)

- High Development LLC (Old Business, O4, Slade Street) — Applicant withdrew the petition without prejudice; new petition is re-noticed for July. (Outcome: withdrawn without prejudice.)

- Kyra O'Connell (O1) — Special permit approved for seasonal bar and single food truck at 180 River St. Conditions include hours/seasonality, maintenance of on-site permanent and overflow parking shown on plan, single controlled entrance, granite barrier, and building- and licensing-department sign-offs prior to operation. (Outcome: approved; see separate article.)

- Brad T. Turner (O2, 0 Saucier St.) — Variance and special-permit requests denied by roll call; board cited emergency-access, fire-safety and parking impacts. (Outcome: denied; see separate article.)

- Applicant: Oswaldo Palkar Moroco (Item O4 previously listed) — Petition withdrawn without prejudice. (Outcome: withdrawn.)

- Anton Benevides (after-the-fact variance, App item 1, 38 Judge St.) — Board approved an after-the-fact variance to legalize enclosed porch, with a condition that there be no additional expansion (no second-floor addition) beyond what was approved. (Outcome: variance approved with condition.)

- Imogen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Item: 927 Current Rd.) — Board approved a special permit to reduce parking setback from 20 feet to 5 feet to construct additional employee parking at the site in the IP district, subject to compliance with the building inspector’s determination and site details. (Outcome: special permit approved.)

- Maria Fatima Benson (Item 3, 452 S. Main St.) — Board reestablished previously granted relief to convert an existing structure into a five-unit residential building and approved a special permit for eight parking spaces in lieu of ten required. (Outcome: reapproval/grant.)

- Little Tiger Capital LLC (Item 5, Cherry & Webb, 139 S. Main) — Variance and special permits granted to allow first-floor residential where otherwise restricted (conditioned) and to continue use of nonconforming structure. Board required that South Main Street frontage remain commercial and that the applicant secure 70 off-street parking spaces prior to occupancy. (Outcome: approved with conditions; see separate article.)

- Louisy Flores (Item 6, 275 Dickinson St.) — Special permit granted to alter and expand a front porch and bump-out on an existing two-family structure (not substantially more detrimental). (Outcome: approved.)

- Baystate Realty Investments LLC (Item 7, Ross St.) — Variance application to demolish a garage and construct a duplex failed to obtain required votes for approval (supermajority not achieved). (Outcome: denied/not approved.)

- Lucas Munoz Kudo (Item 8, 1179 S. Main St.) — Applicant asked to be tabled to the next hearing while exploring whether a basement one-bedroom could be permitted as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) under state guidance; the board granted a table to the next meeting. (Outcome: tabled pending ADU review.)

Several items will require additional municipal reviews (site-plan review, building permits, licensing, conservation and potential City Council actions for on-street parking changes). Where the board conditioned approvals on off-site or off-street parking, applicants must provide contracts or evidence of secured spaces before occupancy.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Zoning Board of Appeals 6 26 25","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal board actions at the June 26, 2025 meeting including approvals, denials, withdrawals and tables; each item lists motion outcomes and key conditions where applicable.","taxTitle","Fall River City, Bristol County, Massachusetts","taxId",4215,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6183884,"Board denies request to convert garage at 0 Saucier St.; neighbors cite fire and parking concerns",1200,4528000,5728000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4&start=4528&end=5728","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4/thumbnail_4528000.jpg","/articles/6183884/Fall-River-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Board-denies-request-to-convert-garage-at-0-Saucier-St-neighbors-cite-fire-and-parking-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183884-798e706b4abe36d4db658a584d4db102/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448519&Signature=oxXRh9TQhDooEZ9zt75EMRau2I22463WyFhFR0C8PGfPa-MYht6AqFvlSXA6llWvHG62Pj1vWhNSPjgNa-LldnJrFU3OWAmIMYoB-HFabLmi5SjNwmUeFx4VRGeji5nXOhKTadJFSY8jthxT7gsurwiatiaVbzaJVJCtMaEHqF6VzM-49hosxwcslzn5DcCG-TK0hy5yLWLpqSDRjIRkyCI9aloDCwosSaEnURN0byxQ4wlcYdIiUqcWfENmoGZ1nvZCaNpyKi7ZnM0PCmYudTqLvr4eAgyN1C5iJcRu~ioNDiPk1SHFknqQu9WxDc5RIRvMfKSk6LdcdinIO7sQww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Zoning Board of Appeals denied a petition to convert an existing garage into a two-unit residential building at 0 Saucier St. (Map G-16 Lot 13), after public testimony and board discussion highlighted safety, fire-access and parking problems on the narrow street.

Attorney Peter Salino presented the applicant’s case on behalf of property owner Brad Turner, citing a structural engineer’s letter stating the building could support a second floor and arguing that nearby lots contain two-family homes, making the proposed use compatible. The application requested a special permit to extend an existing nonconforming structure and a variance to allow conversion to a two-family with four off‑street parking spaces.

Multiple abutters and neighbors spoke against the proposal. Anna Prock and family members who live at 18 Saucier said the proposed second story would be “a piece of plywood” immediately outside their second‑floor windows. Former fire-service professional Roger St. Martin and other speakers described the street as “very narrow” and recalled past fires and emergency access problems; several cited congestion during tournaments at the nearby softball field.

Board members repeatedly raised fire‑safety and access concerns. One member noted uncertainty about the neighboring building’s compliance with current fire-safety standards (for example, hard-wired alarms) and questioned whether adding a building so close to others would worsen fire risk. The board also examined surveys and conflicting measurements about distances between buildings and property lines.

After discussion, a motion to deny both the variance and special permit passed on recorded roll call. The board found the proposed second floor would be “more detrimental” to the neighborhood, citing the close spacing between buildings, narrow street and demonstrated access challenges for emergency vehicles and parking. The record shows a majority vote to deny both relief requests.","The board denied Brad Turner's petition to convert an existing garage at 0 Saucier Street into a two-unit residential building after neighbors and board members raised safety and parking concerns about the narrow street and proximity to neighboring houses.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":46,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6183889,"Zoning board clears Cherry & Webb building conversion to up to 70 apartments; requires secured parking and no street-facing residences on South Main",3773,5270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4&start=5270&end=9043","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4/thumbnail_5270000.jpg","/articles/6183889/Fall-River-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Zoning-board-clears-Cherry-Webb-building-conversion-to-up-to-70-apartments-requires-secured-parking-and-no-street-facing-residences-on-South-Main","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183889-f61fa3b36a8662354b8cc1c6a1ec9031/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448519&Signature=KHK1YnT~0r9UEPGSI1ZklsxcnUgEsvXjfYI0H5RWMfQSTd9DhBt2qeD9mrfO7ihg2VKLWr4kLJzI8RU3JwkS3c~a82fJk4vsnBdCPWsckCttSV8YWRlC0pqrbYcLjCOsehY2ifgeyExX43wAqzWakUUdWNBK6PTi6ebpIN3V-uHwaLvoZqUY2OuC1kxPoNOAKNgTUI6CLlhQfQVTCAH35KgmgvZ6V67DvsOk--NlUp-fAUh8qgkHmQCdqAMzW8k4l2RcTwPFDpSlMhdnH-Ckf7AAb9hjzOx0-gdoOSxjHC8kuHCdUIp1r67R85og8wmqKy-cb~VOVMP-4OJu-luF1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a plan to convert the historic Cherry & Webb building at 139 South Main St. into up to 70 market-rate apartments with accompanying commercial space, contingent on conditions including maintaining commercial storefronts along South Main and securing a set number of off-street parking spaces.

Developer Carolyn Hirth, representing Little Tiger Capital LLC, presented renderings and a unit mix intended to attract young professionals: 26 studios, 27 one-bedrooms, seven one-bedrooms with dens and eight two-bedroom units. Hirth said the team intends to preserve historic interior and exterior features and include building amenities such as a rooftop deck, in-unit laundry and a basement amenity suite.

Zoning relief before the board included a variance to allow first-floor residential use where the bylaw bars it, a special permit to continue use of an existing nonconforming structure and a waiver of off-street parking requirements. The board approved the variance and the special permits but clarified a condition requiring commercial use on the South Main Street frontage. The board also required the developer to secure 70 off-street parking spaces for the development (the developer indicated the Pearl Street municipal garage is a likely source), with spaces to be dedicated to the project and secured by contract within a reasonable walking distance of the building.

Attorney Peter Salino, counsel for the applicant, argued the proposal is less parking-intensive than potential commercial uses now occupying the building and that the project would revitalize an underused historic structure. The board asked for clarity about ground-floor uses and sight lines; preservation groups and economic-development officials supported retaining commercial activity along the South Main frontage. Alexander Silva of Preservation Society of Fall River told the board he supported residential conversion above the first floor but opposed converting the building’s South Main ground floor to residences, saying “such a change would have a large negative impact on the future of the downtown economic corridor.”

Planning staff and board members discussed parking management in detail. The applicant offered to secure 70 spaces in off-street facilities; board members said that condition, and a requirement that storefronts on South Main remain commercial, addressed their primary concerns about detriment to downtown activity. The board approved the variance and special permits by roll call, with votes recorded as yes by a majority of members.

The approval requires the developer to complete site-plan review, provide proof of secured parking (contract or permit) for the 70 spaces, and comply with building and health permits before occupancy. The board noted that if the Pearl Street garage or other municipal parking is used, long-term arrangements (passes or an RFP, as used in prior downtown projects) may be necessary.","The board approved a proposal to convert the historic Cherry & Webb (139 South Main) into up to 70 market-rate apartments with commercial space, conditioned on keeping South Main Street storefronts commercial and securing 70 off-street parking spaces.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6183894,"Zoning board approves seasonal bar and food-truck plan at O'Connell Boatyard with conditions",920,624000,1544000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4&start=624&end=1544","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093562-df2458c1888d7b232b04f23f466751e4/thumbnail_624000.jpg","/articles/6183894/Fall-River-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Zoning-board-approves-seasonal-bar-and-food-truck-plan-at-OConnell-Boatyard-with-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183894-9d43e220203411053412cdd80aa86993/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448519&Signature=Y0axY~XrOqdXZSOBbapvjiVvoA0nI2you1Kq5a2zxQ~ZJReF0b73P3sTEP86w5RO7scxDS3WC-qFErCXRhplUV2hpY26C3n8fAzyopgQSGOqAbcuie3wBQ5yjW4GDIrEB5e3ML1nTnB3muyKMyFnPlCy8cmG-msPHSPQYYPfl3WkJ40UwOXMqNS6Ptr1n7~DPEXTBj2tmKAeOuoohLZJ6xVN4x4jiquzwtTVauF8hiaw~T6Xc5rOimIBgWAip2VVGtxdVDCRruPi6-udFR2wghSXJ-KReq9ZCmnBwrcK~Er0lcrYiuUgHBGn6cXDnh5kH-TW73bPuDNEJK80fRyRjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fall River Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday approved a special permit allowing a seasonal bar and one food truck at O'Connell Boatyard, 180 River St., after the applicant reduced proposed capacity and added permanent and overflow parking.

The board granted the permit for the property in the Commercial Mill (CMD) district by recorded vote, subject to site-plan review and operational conditions designed to address traffic, emergency access and licensing. The applicant, Kyra O'Connell, reduced the proposal from 200 to 150 patrons and revised the plan to show 189 permanent and overflow parking spaces, a single controlled entrance and granite blocking to surround the service area.

The change mattered to the board because emergency responders had raised concerns about access. In a written memo read into the record, Bethany Barnes, chief of Fall River EMS, said the bridge on Collins Street “does not meet the height requirements for ambulance access” to the River Street entrance and recommended Clark Street as an alternate route. Deputy Chief J.T. Hoare of the Fall River Police Department noted historical incidents where emergency vehicles could not reach properties on River Street but recommended “clear no parking signs along the critical sections of the roadway” and joint enforcement by police and the traffic department. Fire Chief Bacon reported a site review with the applicant and concluded the “site provides adequate access for emergency vehicles” and supported operations so long as on-site parking remains available and, if needed, a residential-parking restriction is later pursued.

Attorney Jeffrey Maderas, representing the applicant, told the board the plan was revised after meetings with the building inspector, police, fire and EMS. He said the food truck would be within the enclosed patio area and that the building inspector preferred a single entrance and granite barriers. “We have reduced the number of people from 200 to a 150,” Kyra O'Connell said during her presentation, and “you can see from the plan…we have 189 parking spots.”

Board members pressed the applicant on details the city will enforce through licensing and site-plan review, not zoning. Planning staff and the board emphasized that any on-street parking restrictions (for example, “resident only” signs on River Street) would require separate approvals through traffic and, possibly, the City Council. The building inspector noted that the parking shown on the plan “shall be 100% available when this facility is open for the entire season,” and that failure to keep those spaces available would violate the decision.

The board approved the special permit on a recorded roll call (majority recorded as yes), with the motion including conditions: (1) limits on hours and seasonality as proposed (applicant stated hours as 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days per week, from mid-May through October; the applicant later specified May 15–October 31), (2) applicant to provide and maintain the on-site permanent and overflow parking shown on the approved plan, (3) a single, controlled entrance/exit and physical barriers (granite or similar) around the patio area, (4) compliance with building-department and licensing requirements for alcohol service and food service, and (5) site-plan review and any additional permits (conservation, health) required before operation.

The board and staff emphasized enforcement avenues beyond zoning: licensing complaints could lead to temporary shutdowns if conditions were violated, and the applicant must secure required permits before opening. Several neighbors and users of the boatyard supported the application at the public hearing; a few abutters and longtime nearby business owners raised concerns about narrow streets and parking congestion during peak events. The board said it would expect the applicant to follow through on the commitments that formed part of the decision.

The decision was recorded as approved; the board noted the permit is tied to the site plan and that additional permitting steps remain for building, licensing and safety reviews.","The Fall River Zoning Board of Appeals approved a special permit allowing a seasonal bar and single food truck at O'Connell Boatyard (180 River St.) after the applicant cut capacity, added parking and agreed to conditions addressing emergency access and licensing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Fall River Zoning Board of Appeals, June 26, 2025

Board denies request to convert garage at 0 Saucier St.; neighbors cite fire and parking concerns

Zoning board clears Cherry & Webb building conversion to up to 70 apartments; requires secured parking and no street-facing residences on South Main

Zoning board approves seasonal bar and food-truck plan at O'Connell Boatyard with conditions