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Smithfield zoning board approves after‑hours urgent‑care veterinary clinic at Putnam Pike with parking and drop‑off conditions
Summary
The Smithfield Zoning Board approved CGRI Greenville LLC’s urgent‑care veterinary use at 473 Putnam Pike, imposing conditions requiring two short‑term drop‑off parking spaces (15‑minute), a calling/handler system, signage set by the building official, and waste removal arrangements to manage safety and tenant conflicts.
The Smithfield Zoning Board voted to approve an after‑hours urgent‑care veterinary clinic at 473 Putnam Pike, granting an exception for a use the board described as undefined under the local zoning table but compatible with the plaza if conditions are met.
Attorney Kaye Joseph Scacci, representing applicant CGRI Greenville LLC, told the board the proposed tenant is an urgent‑care model for dogs and cats that offers triage and short‑term treatment only — no overnight stays and no major surgeries; serious cases would be referred to a hospital. Counsel said the clinic’s hours would be about 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
Board members and the applicant negotiated operational controls to limit disruption to adjoining businesses: the approved conditions require two designated short‑term parking spaces reserved for 15‑minute drop‑off use, a calling system so a technician meets the owner at the car and escorts the animal inside, signage and enforcement (towing for violators) to be determined by the building official, and agreed arrangements for medical waste removal.
Supporters in the public hearing, including resident John Tassoni, described long travel times to existing after‑hours care and urged approval for local emergency access. Other residents and one commenter suggested alternative vacant sites; board members acknowledged those concerns but said the parking and drop‑off conditions mitigated immediate safety risks in the plaza.
A board member noted the use does not fit neatly in the town’s use table and that, if the town wanted the category defined, the planning pathways would include a town‑council change. The board nonetheless exercised discretionary approval with the operational conditions described above. The motion to approve passed on a voice vote; the transcript does not list a roll‑call tally.
The approval allows the clinic to operate under the imposed conditions; the applicant and building official will finalize signage and enforcement details.
