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Board approves convenience-store expansion and reduced parking at 302 Lake Avenue with environmental and signage conditions
Summary
The Planning Board approved CU 2024-028 (parking reduction) and CU 2024-027 (expansion with a 1,632 sq ft basement) for 302 Lake Ave, adding conditions that required state/federal environmental approvals for contaminated soil remediation and removal of an existing freestanding sign prior to building permit issuance.
The Manchester Planning & Zoning Board approved applications Dec. 5 for an expanded convenience store at 302 Lake Avenue that includes a new 1,632‑square‑foot storage basement and a reduction in required parking from 17 to 7 spaces.
Owner Rafael Laura and architect Alan Dayton explained that structural issues discovered during interior demolition led to a decision to take the building down and rebuild with a basement for mechanicals and refrigeration. Dayton said a buried oil tank was found and is in the process of remediation; staff added a condition requiring all necessary state and federal environmental approvals be filed with the Planning department prior to issuance of a building permit.
The board also approved the requested parking reduction (CU 2024-028). Board members discussed how deliveries are handled on Maple Street and noted the site’s high pedestrian activity; staff reminded the board there is an existing nonconforming loading arrangement and that the current parking configuration matches what had been approved during previous hearings. Planning staff also added a condition that the existing freestanding sign on the corner must be removed before a building permit is issued, as the applicant agreed.
Board action and conditions: The board voted to approve CU 2024-028 (parking reduction) and CU 2024-027 (expansion) with staff recommendations, including the two additional conditions read into the record by staff: (1) receipt and filing of required environmental permits (related to the buried oil tank remediation) prior to building permit issuance, and (2) removal of the existing freestanding sign prior to building permit issuance.
The applicant said he owns adjacent property with available parking for on‑site residential tenants and will continue to manage parking arrangements; staff and the board accepted a simple, enforceable approach rather than a separate formal parking agreement.
