Developers propose 5-story, 583-space "park-and-fly" garage on Squire Rear Road; zoning referral set

R & S Realty Trust presented a proposal to build a five-story parking garage on Squire Rear Road that would provide roughly 583 spaces and serve as a park-and-fly facility, the council heard on Jan. 27.

Attorney Jerry D'Ambrosio represented the petitioner and said the lot is in a TED (industrial) district and has long housed automotive and contractor uses. He told the council the new structure would remove heavy-truck activity and reduce local traffic impacts from current operations. "By removing all the trucks and the heavy equipment, the traffic flow study will show that there's less of an impact in the area," D'Ambrosio said. He said the developer commissioned a traffic study expected within days and that the project would increase annual property tax revenue from about $90,000 today to roughly $270,000, plus about $120,000 in licensing fees and an ongoing $200-per-spot annual fee the city assesses for parking spots, bringing projected annual municipal receipts to nearly $400,000.

Neighbors and a resident from Charger Street urged caution. Christine Robertson, who lives on the residential side of Charger Street, said her block already experiences heavy truck traffic and overnight noise from vehicles turning on Squire Road. She expressed concerns about proximity to marshland and warned a new large building "will change the water table" and could increase flooding on the residential side. The petitioner said engineering and conservation review are pending and the project will be referred to the Conservation Commission; D'Ambrosio said two existing structures on the site would be removed and engineers will work with the city on drainage.

Councilors asked about traffic, drainage and the potential for rooftop renewables. D'Ambrosio said the decking is roughly 20,000 square feet and the team had contacted solar providers; he also said the current Revere Zoning Ordinance does not list solar as an allowed use and that the city may need to amend local rules before installing panels. Another speaker referenced state protections for solar installations and a "Dover"-type legal protection; D'Ambrosio pointed to "section 17" of the local zoning ordinance as the reason unspecified uses are treated as prohibited.

Councilors voiced mixed reactions: some supported the redevelopment for reduced truck trips and higher tax revenue, while others asked for more information on traffic, drainage, conservation and solar. The council closed the hearing and referred the application to the Zoning Committee for review on Feb. 3 at 5 p.m.

The petitioner submitted a memorandum with exhibits and said additional materials, including the final traffic study, will be added to the public record. The council did not vote on the special permit at the Jan. 27 hearing.