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 and neighbors about buffering, lighting and the loss of residential acreage. City planning staff told council that rezoning the parcel to commercial would allow the city to require buffering and landscaping that would otherwise be concentrated near the commercial building; that buffering, the staff member said, would likely be moved adjacent to the retention pond and thereby provide greater separation from the homes to the east.

A written objection from resident Christy Bishop of 1712 Knupp Drive was read into the record; Bishop said she opposed changing the zoning because the parcel would be visible from her backyard, that rezoning would “further deteriorate the neighborhood” and that she worried about lights and noise affecting property values.

Council members pressed the applicant and staff on operational details. The applicant said fuel and the car wash could be accessible 24 hours but the convenience store might close at roughly 11 p.m. to midnight at some locations; engineering staff said a photometric lighting plan would be required as part of the development review to limit light spill. Planning staff also pointed to existing C‑3 zoning nearby and said the commission evaluated the applicant’s proposed detention/landscaping as part of the review.

After the hearing the council suspended the rules and adopted Ordinance 2024‑40 to rezone the parcel. Roll‑call votes recorded by the clerk were: Abernathy — yes; Malta — yes; Jose — yes; Gaffney — yes; Wharton — yes; Myers — yes; Kanapik — yes. The ordinance will take effect in 30 days as required for zoning amendments.

Why it matters: the rezoning allows developers to consolidate parcels for a gas‑station/retail project that the applicant says will clean up a blighted corner but that neighbors fear could increase light, noise and commercial exposure for adjacent homes. The council and staff repeatedly stressed that the final site plan, buffers, lighting and landscaping will be reviewed in subsequent planning procedures before construction permits are issued.

The council also recorded a separate letter into the public record opposing the rezoning and received multiple staff explanations of how the detention pond, buffering and parking would be managed during the development review process.