Council rezones parcel at Smithville Western and Cleveland for Bell store project after public hearing

Worcester City Council on Monday approved an ordinance to rezone land on the southwest corner of East Smithville Western Road and Cleveland Road from residential to C‑3 general commercial to accommodate a proposed Campbell Oil (Bell store) development.

The vote followed a public hearing in which the applicant described the rezoning as necessary primarily to locate stormwater retention and drainage for the planned convenience store, fuel canopy and an associated car wash. Mitchell Polsar, a representative of Campbell Oil Company, said the portion requested for rezoning is small — “about maybe 0.4, 0.5 acres, 0.64 acres” — and that “our intent is not to put any building on this portion of the property.”

The rezoning drew questions from council members…