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North Providence zoning board approves parking variance for Smith Street game café, contingent on resident‑only parking signs
Summary
The zoning board approved a parking-variance request for a board game café at 1726 Smith Street, 3–1, contingent on the town council granting resident‑only/no‑parking signage on adjacent streets; the board reduced the requested relief after clarifying occupancy and use.
The North Providence Zoning Board on June 11 approved a parking variance for a proposed board game café at 1726 Smith Street, contingent on the Town Council approving resident‑only parking signs on nearby Aragon/Oregon Avenue.
The applicant, Carlos Rodriguez, and business owners Genesis Sanchez Tavarez and August Bogner asked the board to allow the property to remain at its existing 12 parking spaces even though the zoning table shows a demand of up to 29 spaces with the new use. Staff and the applicants told the board that, because the café’s hours (evenings and weekends) do not overlap with several daytime tenants, the business would largely use spaces vacated by other tenants. “We would be operating after the hair salon closes,” an applicant said. “We’re not increasing the demand for cars. We’re just taking over the existing spaces.” (Genesis Sanchez Tavarez)
Councilman Steve Dorenzo, who spoke during public comment, supported the applicants personally but urged the board to reject the variance on safety and neighborhood‑impact grounds, saying current parking conditions already block driveways and occasionally prevent emergency vehicles from passing. “There is no room to put any more parking there… fire trucks sometimes can’t get through,” he told the board.
Board members and staff ran through the parking arithmetic during the hearing. Planning staff confirmed the site currently provides 12 spaces; under the zoning table the combined uses would normally require 29. After clarifying that an on‑site office/use combination should be treated as a single use, board discussion reduced the applicant’s requested relief from eight spaces to a six‑space variance.
A motion to deny the variance was made earlier in the meeting but failed to secure a second and died. Later, the board voted 3–1 to approve the variance on the condition that the Town Council approve resident‑only/no‑parking signage; the town planner will forward the board’s request to the council. The zoning board’s approval is therefore conditional on the council’s action.
The board’s decision allows the business to seek the remaining permits and a business license, subject to any permit conditions and the town council’s response on signage. The town planner said he would send the signage request to the Town Council at its next meeting and draft the board’s decision for posting on the permit portal.
