Planning commission recommends approval for Grossman Trucking chassis yard at 680 Military Road

The Portsmouth Planning Commission on May 6 recommended approval of a use permit for Grossman Trucking LLC to operate a shipping-container chassis storage yard at 680 Military Road.

Planning staff told commissioners the property—about 2.3 acres in the light-industrial (IL) district near Victory Boulevard and Deep Creek Boulevard—is already in use for short-term container storage and is surfaced with gravel and enclosed by 6-foot chain-link fencing. “The applicant is requesting a use permit for the after-the-fact authorization of the use to remediate this violation and continue trucking operations at the location,” said Valerie Malzone, principal planner for the City of Portsmouth.

Staff recommended approval with conditions including requiring the applicant to pave the entrance to commercial standards, install a sliding gate to secure the site after hours, and provide a Type D opaque landscape buffer where the property abuts single-family residential uses. Staff also noted the engineering department determined a traffic impact analysis was not required because a maximum of 75 trips per day would not significantly affect the surrounding network; planners conditioned the permit on the applicant’s proposal to limit truck trips to 75 per day and to follow a specified truck routing that keeps trucks turning right off Victory Boulevard into Military Road.

Attorney Lisa Murphy, representing Grossman Trucking, told commissioners the company operates 16 trucks and that most containers remain on chassis at the site for less than 24 hours. “They’re not stacking these. They’re not storing them for months and months at a time,” Murphy said, adding that the applicant concurs with staff’s nine recommended conditions and asked the commission to recommend approval to City Council.

Neighbors raised concerns about drainage, sight lines at the Military Road–Deep Creek corner, and prior unpermitted fill placed on the parcel. David Lueder, the owner of adjacent 684 Military Road, said trucks driving across a catch basin and earlier fill have altered drainage and caused standing water: “They brought in about 50 truckloads of fill and dumped in that yard ... now the water drains towards the back of my property.” Mike Fink, who said he has a long history in the area, urged caution about conflicts between truck turning paths and existing traffic crashes at the nearby intersection.

Director Russell and planning staff told speakers the revised conceptual site plan submitted May 5 moves the paved entrance entirely onto 680 Military Road and that apron paving and any entrance work would require a minor site plan and engineering review; staff also said stormwater/drainage issues are governed by state law and can be referred to the city’s engineering/stormwater team for follow-up.

Action: Commissioner Melton moved to approve UP-23-24 with conditions and Commissioner Jenkins seconded. The planning commission voted 5-0 to approve the recommendation to City Council.

The item now proceeds as a recommendation to City Council; planning staff will follow up with engineering on drainage and verify that the entrance paving and other site improvements comply with the minor site plan and stormwater requirements.