Palm Coast Capital previews 21,930-square-foot Tractor Supply at 934 Victory Highway; board flags parking, water and design issues

Palm Coast Capital LLC presented a pre-application concept to the North Smithfield Planning Board for a Tractor Supply store at 934 Victory Highway, proposing a 21,930-square-foot building, extensive outdoor display areas and infrastructure work including a water-main extension.

"The applicant is proposing to construct a 21,930 square foot tractor supply building," said Casey Birch, senior project manager with Soley Engineering, during the informal concept review. Birch described the site as a 10.46-acre parcel in the business-neighborhood zoning district and said the project would include a fenced outdoor display, trailer display area, a small live-goods (plant) center and a 66-space parking lot with four ADA spaces.

Why this matters: the proposed combination of interior sales area and large outdoor display space affects parking requirements, stormwater design and zoning compliance. Birch said interior sales area is about 15,416 square feet while outdoor sales and display total about 29,550 square feet, producing a combined sales footprint of roughly 44,966 square feet. Under the town's zoning code, parking requirements are calculated on gross floor area (GFA) and do not count outdoor display areas; Birch and board members discussed whether the outdoor sales space would create additional demand that the current parking plan does not cover.

Key technical points presented by the applicant and raised by board members: - Site area: 10.46 acres; proposed building footprint: 21,930 sq ft; interior sales area: 15,416 sq ft; outdoor display total: 29,550 sq ft (trailer space ~2,800 sq ft; sidewalk display ~3,780 sq ft; fenced display ~20,330 sq ft); combined sales 44,966 sq ft. - Parking: plan proposes 66 spaces (4 ADA); Birch said Tractor Supply typically targets 60–70 spaces but board members asked whether the outdoor displays would generate additional parking demand beyond what GFA-based requirements capture. - Utilities: Birch said there is no water main in front of the site and "we will have to extend a water main 950 ish feet" to serve the building; the water division and a separate nearby proposal (Slater Estates) have previously discussed water-line extensions that could affect cost-sharing and coordination. - Stormwater and wetlands: an identified pocket of wetlands exists on the eastern portion of the site; Birch said the project would avoid the 100-foot buffer and that underground detention is planned to meet peak-discharge requirements and follow state and local practices. - Public‑realm and design comments: board members urged preservation of existing trees along entrances, consideration of sidewalks and a pedestrian crosswalk to integrate with the neighboring walkable plaza, architectural sensitivity to the village character, dark-sky-compliant light fixtures (down-lighting), and a screened dumpster enclosure to limit debris. - Emergency access: commissioners told the applicant to confirm fire-department requirements for egress and the fenced outdoor display area; staff noted the technical-review committee will coordinate with fire and DPW during formal review.

The board treated the presentation as a concept review; no formal vote or approval was taken. Members said they wanted future submissions to include the applicant's expert resumes and presentation materials in advance, and recommended the applicant consider potential property acquisition to increase frontage and parking flexibility.

No dates for formal application were set during the pre-application discussion. Planning staff offered to connect the applicant with other developers and to track outstanding background reports and studies for the board to review before any formal application.