Somerville planning board approves preliminary plan to convert 132 North Gaston into larger Liquor Saver with conditions

The Somerville Planning Board on Aug. 27 granted preliminary site-plan approval for a proposal to convert the vacant Rite Aid at 132 North Gaston Ave into a larger Liquor Saver store, subject to conditions addressing landscaping, lighting, deliveries and waste management.

Attorney Matt Flynn, representing applicant Shantah LLC, told the board the project is a permitted retail use in the redevelopment zone and that the applicant can comply with the technical recommendations in the review memorandum prepared for the board. "We are in receipt of Mr. Cole's review memorandum," Flynn said, adding the applicant "is happy to report that we can comply" with the listed conditions.

Engineer Deborah D'Amico described limited physical changes: restriping parking to meet accessible requirements, repairing gates and the dumpster enclosure, replacing dead or missing trees from the 1997 planting plan, and screening rooftop HVAC equipment. "Anything that is deficient or dead or diseased, he will remove and replace in kind," D'Amico said, describing plans to restore landscaping "back to the standard that was approved by the borough in 1997."

Board members pressed for operational details. The applicant's representative, Prashanta Meen, said there will be no interior trash compactor, two dumpsters (recycling and garbage) with pickups scheduled after 9 a.m., and deliveries generally completed by late afternoon. Meen said the proposed hours of operation would be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Residents at the public-hearing portion urged additional measures. "I'd like to see a little more effort or maybe an adopt-a-street program that is sponsored by the liquor store to help clean those up," said neighbor Jeff Lamborn, citing litter from "shooter bottles." Several neighbors asked the applicant to repair the fence along the shared property line, increase lighting around the dumpster area and register exterior cameras with police so footage can be made available if needed.

Board staff and the engineer recommended a photometric field study during compliance to ensure lighting meets the ordinance and does not cause trespass to adjacent yards; the board declined to grant lighting relief without on-site data. The board also required that the HVAC be screened to the satisfaction of the board engineer/planner and that street and shade trees be restored or added to meet current requirements (or addressed through the ordinance's in-lieu process if appropriate).

Chairperson Warner clarified the board's limited scope: the change of use itself is permitted under the borough's redevelopment plan and is not what the board was voting on. "It is already approved," Warner said, explaining the hearing focused on whether site conditions and the proposed improvements comply with current standards.

Motion language circulated at the meeting required compliance with Mr. Cole's report (dated 08/20/2025), replacement of any dead landscaping, screening of rooftop HVAC, use of the recycling dumpster in lieu of a compactor, pickups and deliveries after 9 a.m. and deliveries to conclude by 8 p.m., installation of safety lighting near the dumpster to the satisfaction of the board engineer/planner, registration of surveillance cameras with the police department, and hours of operation set at 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The board voted unanimously to approve the motion.

The board recorded the conditions as part of preliminary site-plan approval; the applicant must return during the compliance process with photometric results, final landscaping and screening details for the board engineer's review. The planner confirmed one van-accessible ADA space and an accessible route must be shown as part of that compliance submittal.

Next steps: the approval is preliminary site-plan approval with conditions; the applicant must complete the compliance items — including the field photometric study and required site repairs — before obtaining final sign-off from the board's professionals.