Kittery Planning Board approves Warren’s Seafood gift shop conversion on Water Street

The Kittery Planning Board voted 6-0 on May 28 to approve a site and shoreland development plan to convert an existing two‑car garage at 11–13 Water Street into a gift shop to support Warren’s Seafood and More at 9 Water Street.

Applicant Kathleen Romano presented the request; Town Planner Max Zakian summarized application requirements for properties within the Mixed‑Use Kittery Foreside, Shoreland Overlay, Resource Protection Overlay and Commercial Fisheries Overlay zones and explained the waiver petition included with the filing. Board members discussed on‑site specifics including bathroom access, water and sewer connections, snow storage, dumpster location, parking, and the proposed location of the gift shop.

Member Dutch Dunkelberger moved to accept the requested site‑plan waiver; the motion was seconded by Member Lea Kaufman and passed 6-0. Dunkelberger then moved to determine the application complete and, following discussion, moved to approve the application; both motions were seconded by Kaufman and each passed 6-0. Vice Chair Ethan Bensley read the findings of fact into the record.

The approval authorizes the conversion subject to the stated waiver and conditions recorded in the board’s findings. The board did not record individual roll‑call votes beyond the unanimous tallies noted in the motion language. The board did not receive public comment on the item during the meeting.

The Planning Board’s action finalizes local site‑plan review; any required building or utility permits will be processed separately through town permitting channels.