Planning Board approves Washville car wash at 105 Farmington Road with traffic, lighting and constructability conditions

The Rochester Planning Board voted to approve a site plan for a Washville express car wash at 105 Farmington Road, subject to conditions addressing the project’s driveway on Little Falls Bridge Road, third‑party traffic review, monitoring of signal timing, lighting limits, and review of a tall retaining wall.

Washville’s lead presenter, Jim Waterman, introduced the company and the proposal, saying, “I'm Jim Waterman. I'm with Washville Car Wash. I'm executive vice president,” and added, “Washville strives to be good stewards in every community that we're in.” The applicant presented site changes added after prior hearings — a stockade fence behind the queuing lanes, glare shields on rear light poles, additional landscaping including arborvitae at the Little Falls Bridge Road corner, and changes in lighting fixtures informed by an existing Somersworth facility.

City planning staff and the applicant’s traffic engineer emphasized traffic impacts at the Little Falls Bridge Road connection. Jake Carmody of Vanasse Associates summarized the traffic work, saying, “We received a conditional approval from New Hampshire DOT on the driveway to Route 11 in February of 2025.” Planning staff also told the board that on balance the June 2024 traffic study showed the intersection operating within modeled limits, but added that “When they…