Planning board recommends zoning amendment for Putnam Pike/Esben Street district; developers eye medical office and housing

The Smithfield Planning Board on June 26 voted to recommend a proposed zoning‑text amendment for the Putnam Pike/Esben Street planned‑development overlay district to the Town Council.

Applicant attorney Joelle Rocha described a revised overlay that retains many of the existing dimensional rules but updates permitted uses and adds more detailed landscaping and design standards. Rocha said the revised text narrows and refines a broad set of commercial uses that had been approved under an earlier plan and that the new language would allow—by right—uses such as a medical office/ambulatory surgical center and a capped residential component of up to 124 units. Rocha said the proposed redevelopment would be smaller in overall commercial square footage than the previous approval and that the draft code adds explicit landscaping and buffering standards recommended by planning staff.

Planning staff said the department views the amendment favorably as it provides clearer design standards and authorizes uses that the applicant and potential buyers prefer; the applicant said the change would allow prospective purchasers to commit to detailed engineering and state permitting, including DOT coordination on traffic.

Board members flagged traffic and school impacts as key review items that will be assessed when a full site plan is submitted during a future major‑change review. After discussion, the board voted to forward a positive recommendation to the Town Council. The item will be the subject of a council public hearing scheduled for mid‑July.