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 ran that system, the system came out and said Little Falls Bridge Road is fine as is,” and acknowledged local experience that the road frequently operates at poor service levels.

Board members and members of the public raised concerns about queuing, sight lines and the possibility that changing the intersection geometry could unintentionally worsen safety or create new cut‑through traffic patterns. Board member Kevin Willie said the proposed signal optimization “may actually even exacerbate public safety concerns, because if you optimize the traffic lights ... it might actually cause traffic to go faster and may cause more serious collisions.” The applicant and traffic engineer responded that they will implement a left‑turn pocket, widen the shoulder on Little Falls Bridge Road adjacent to the site to preserve access to the right‑turn lane, and plan field observations and adjustments after initial signal optimization.

Staff reported that planning and public works had reviewed the project and that on‑site sound measurements at the applicant’s Somersworth facility met city standards; staff said the Rochester setup is expected to be “even better AKA quieter” at the property line. The applicant described operational details: membership RFID tags for frequent users, a staffed retail booth, and current hours of operation of “07:30 AM to 07:30 PM, Monday through Saturday. And then we're 8 to 5 on Sundays.” The applicant said security and parking‑lot lighting would remain after hours but that branding facade lighting would be dimmed and put on timers.

The board approved three zoning/site‑plan waivers requested by the applicant (allowing Cape Cod berm in lieu of granite curbing on the new connect road, reduced side pavement setback east of the building, and 15% landscape coverage in place of the 25% required by the site plan regulations). Planning staff supported those waivers.

Before final approval of the site plan, the board added and refined conditions. Those conditions included: third‑party traffic review specifically scoped to Little Falls Bridge Road if the applicant retains the rear driveway; a requirement that any third‑party recommendations supported by staff be incorporated into the final plan; a schedule for signal timing adjustments and field observation to begin immediately after implementation and be reviewed roughly every six months for up to two years (or until other roadway work changes conditions); review of retaining‑wall constructability and any necessary adjustments to the design prior to site work; limits on upward‑directed facade lighting and use of dimmers and timers; and exclusion of a mandatory speed‑table requirement after discussion. The board debated whether to require traffic calming in the egress; some members recommended signage or physical measures as contingency items for the third‑party review to consider.

During the final voice vote the motion to approve the site plan with the board’s conditions carried; the chair recorded one opposed voice vote. The board also instructed that a third‑party traffic engineer be retained to review the Little Falls Bridge Road connection and that any staff‑supported changes identified in that review be incorporated into the final construction plans prior to issuance of permits.

The board’s approval included administrative conditions and final engineering items to be satisfied before construction permits are released. The project will proceed to permitting with those conditions and the required monumentation and coordination with public works. The applicants and staff noted a continuing point of attention will be post‑installation observation of signal timing and any follow‑up measures recommended by the independent traffic reviewer.

The board’s packet and discussion cite multiple technical documents: an April 2023 traffic study for the original combined development, a June 2024 traffic study focused on the car wash, and a February 2025 conditional approval from New Hampshire DOT for the Route 11 driveway.