NORTH SMITHFIELD – Over the past two years members of the North Smithfield Planning Board have heard details of three separate projects that would see new gas stations constructed within a roughly 7 mile radius. Two received preliminary approval from the board, while the third developer merely sought feedback from planners to see if a formal application would be favorably viewed.
All three continue to move forward and are in various stages of engineering and permitting, according to Planner Mark Carruolo.
“One of them has received its DEM and RIDOT permits and they are in the design phase,” Carruolo told planners at a meeting last week.
The proposed gas station furthest along in the approval process would see a car wash and convenience store also built on a 5.48 acre property that currently holds a church. A preliminary application for the property at 322 Eddie Dowling Highway – just beside the Taco Bell at Dowling Village – was approved by planners in January for owner Canton East Holdings LLC.
Across the road and south a bit at 1241 and 1253 Eddie Dowling Highway, Scituate-based Village Gas proprietor Zeshan Abid has plans to demolish two homes to make way for a combined 24-hour gas station and convenience store with small restaurants inside.
The Planning Board granted preliminary approval for that project last December, with plans for the two highway lots totaling around six acres. Abid hopes to construct a 4,155-square-foot building on the properties for a retail store, drive through coffee shop and restaurant, along with a gas station featuring eight regular and four diesel fuel dispensers, 18 parking spaces and a few outdoor tables.
Abid officially purchased the lots for $950,000 in January, but according to Carruolo, has not yet secured permits from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
“They did have an issue with the location of a water main,” he said, noting that DEM said Abid would have to relocate a planned onsite wastewater treatment system in the designs.
The final of the three proposed gas stations was presented to the board for concept review in 2023.
That property is slated to see an eight pump gas station, also featuring a store and a drive through, constructed on the 1 acre lot at 3 Greenville Road – the former home of the Beef Barn Restaurant. A holding company for a group associated with several gas stations and convenience stores in Massachusetts purchased the highly visible lot – situated across the road from another station known as CT Gas – for $550,000 from the Valleire family last October.
The early, informal discussion two years ago allowed the developer to hear feedback, which Carruolo said has since been incorporated into the plan.
“I think the building’s a little smaller and the circulation plan’s a little better,” Carruolo said, noting the developer has submitted a draft preliminary layout that showed increased landscaping and pumps moved away from the busy intersection. “They’re going to be coming back with a full application.”
The planner said the project will require a special use permit and dimensional variances.
“That’s kind of a long, narrow lot on a corner,” he said.
Carruolo said he expects to receive a complete application for the former restaurant lot in August or early September.
I really don’t have a interest in this development, one way or the other, but neighbors should be made aware that HUD [FHA in this case] does not allow financing a property within 300 feet of the property line of a gas station….
As having traveled back and forth to RI these last several years, over 146 and 295, the two gas stations proposed on 146 would be ideal locations for those incoming, and those leaving, to grab a lunch and gas up.
The old Beef Barn location I would never use because of its busy location, poor entry and exit, it’s a crazy hectic 4 way IMHO. Have to bring business in somehow though, lessens the tax burden……
You’re 100% correct SuzyQ. It’s not like businesses are lining up at the door to come to North Smithfield….who else is going to pay for the new senior / multi generational center and its operating costs!!
Have to admit, ppl balked recently on the announcement of a new beautiful Tractor Supply Store looking to build on Victory Hwy, perfect spot. Now there is balking about gas stations. Then there’s an expansion of an already-existing business balked about. Then there’s balking about more pizza places, coffee shops, it never ends. No matter what is tried, it never seems to please many. You need the jobs, and taxes they will provide. This is a small town, high taxes, grants not coming through as it is a small town, they tend to go to larger towns first, so you need to accept new things. Granted, you want the town to keep its small town feel, which I think the leaders are keeping in mind for the majority of decisions, amidst the placements, and growth needed.
Once again, these “big box stores” and “gas stations” do not provide much tax revenue. Most of the land these types of stores are built on, is just parking lot, which has low taxable value. The buildings themselves are also often low value because they’re just big metal boxes. When the Tractor Supply or Gas Station inevitably goes out of business, it is often difficult to repurpose the structure into something else.
Multi-family homes, mixed-use residential/commercial structures and shoot even dense single-family homes bring in FAR more tax revenue in a unit/area. The town needs more housing, and more small, locally owned businesses. Not gas stations.
Commercial is priced higher for property tax rate still in 2025, and they pay on their tangibles too. They also pay more taxes on the gas into the state, and other fees. Which in effect trickles down to the towns eventually. Have to consider all. And they offer jobs. From which taxes are paid out on, also, and by, the employees. Have to look at the big revolving door of taxation/benefits. As for housing, sky high taxes, insurance, rents, not helping there either. Penny for penny, hard to truly evaluate these days depending on what is included. But where are all these new houses supposed to go? Ppl are balking about a few residents recently as to wetlands, expansion, new builds. NS no matter WHAT is planned, is always complained about. And that’s a solid fact. So that alone deters anything coming into town without tough skin and money to fight the naysayers.
The reason businesses are leary coming to NS is the negative, bad mouthing on social media.
Opinions are great if it’s not negative. How about a positive idea? Rehab the Milkcan, move it to where the Beef barn was and use it as a creamery or tourist information center!! Any other ideas, businesses might consider coming to NS. And yes, the kids and adults need to go somewhere and Halliwell property is the perfect place for whatever you want to call it? But after it’s built, I’ll still call it Halliwell.
I believe it is more than that. They look at incentives, taxes, location, location, location, and need. Expenses. Revenue. Regulations. But 2 gas stations across from each other is interesting…..to say the least! Coming out of that driveway when cars are lined up at the lights was the reason I negated use of the existing one. It’s a bugger to try to enter the road from the business nowadays. I prefer easy entry, easy exit from a road, and less hassle of traffic. Old age jitters, and preventing an accident waiting to happen!
Something with 8 bays for vehicles/gas is a bit much for that corner IMHO. Loved it as I grew up as the Beef Barn location. Would be nice to have a nice small restaurant back in there. But again, businesses aren’t knocking down the doors so acceptance for now, is the key. Take what comes no matter how against one’s wishes the business may be….
Not gas stations. Take the CT gas station next to the old Beef Barn. They have a yearly tax liability of just $15,000. Based on the surrounding density, 4 multi-family homes that would fit in area of the same size lot would have a a *higher* tax liability.
Some people love to rattle on and on about how businesses bring in huge tax revenue – but most do not, especially “low value” businesses like big box stores and gas stations. The equivalent area of medium density housing usually can bring in about the same revenue, and if it’s mixed use commercial/residential, the tax revenue is almost always significantly highly per area of land.
We need locally-owned businesses that people will enjoy and want to live near. Businesses that will pull people into the town, and give them reasons to stay. Nobody *dreams* of living next to a gas station or tractor supply.
The CT gas is on a half-acre lot. Four three-family homes would require at least 24 parking spots which would require a quarter of an acre alone if configured as efficiently as possible, which it wouldn’t be. On top of this being incredibly dense housing – not medium density, it wouldn’t even be possible. Nobody dreams of living within the area of a postage stamp nor on a busy corner with a stop light and no on-street parking, either.
Also, the Walmart building is worth ~$15m and brings in over $250k yearly.
Amen to that Josh! Been trying to say commercial brings in more in a smaller space! You nailed it far better than I.
There are many multi-family homes sitting on lots less than 0.125 acres in size on Providence St, directly adjacent CT gas in Woonsocket. Some of them are even less than 0.1 acres! And furthermore, that is not “incredibly dense” housing. That’d barely be considered medium density. Townhouses or multi-level apartment buildings are more dense, and still considered “medium density”.
Your Walmart example is perfect illustration of my point. The building is 147,000 sq ft and valued at $9.5 Million. That’s the same area as ~73, 2000 sq-ft homes. With the median home price of $500,000, that’d be over $419,700 in yearly tax revenue. Factor in the 28 acres the Walmart occupies, and that’d give each house 0.38 acres, which is plenty.
Turn those into multi-family homes or mixed-used with ground level businesses, and you’re talking well in excess of $500-600,000 in tax revenue in the same size area.
Among other oversights, you’ve failed to factor in the costs incurred by the town if 73 single family homes were built. New single-family homes average .43 public school students, or just over 31 students for 73 homes. At appx $16000 each, you’re looking at over $500k in costs for the school department alone.
That doesn’t include roads, water & sewer, emergency services, trash, etc.
That’s not how school funding works. It doesn’t *literally* cost $16,000 per child. Schools have lots of fixed costs, so generally speaking, as enrollment goes up, costs-per-child (for the town) goes down. Additionally as enrollment goes up, state aid increases. Depending on the make up of those potential children, it’s entirely possible for the district to absorb all 30 of those kids will little to no change in actual cost, but with an appreciable increase in state aid.
Commercial stores also need water, sewer, trash and emergency services. Shoot, NSPD is at Walmart every other day as it is.
Right, it’s an average. Then account for the federal and state aid which make up 32% of the revenue, and remove the 18% of the budget for operations though that would go up some, we’re still at $320k in additional costs for schooling that would need to come from local taxes.
Well, my opinion and not that of any boards or commissions I am on, the gas stations need to be centralized. Let Union Village stay a village. Slatersville needs to be the tourist location with new coffee shops, etc. Great Road has the gas station before the exit. Would love to see more of Branch Village. …… What? Pollution? Contractors don’t care. Build it anyway. What was once a gas station many years ago, a metals recycling facility building was built. Now a warehouse over protected wetlands. Contractors don’t care. Build it anyway. Talk them into it. There’s no back door. It’s just the way it is.
Doesn’t seem like the developers are business minded given how many gas stations will be located in such a small area. Hard to differentiate a commodity like gas. The only one who put some thought into the development is the one including a car wash.
My bet is the lots will be up for sale when at least 1-2 new or current gas stations fail to turn a profit.
I agree. Too many gas stations within a small area.
Whether or not it’s right, the planning board can’t deny applications on a whim or because they don’t like the business; this is especially true when the property concerned is already zoned commercial. The town has repeatedly been sued and lost for attempting to deny applications that, legally, should have been approved, because the applicants at issue had followed the letter of the law.
I’m not a big fan of capitalism, but it’s the system we have and this is its logical result.
May I ask what system you are a fan of if it’s not capitalism?
Not necessarily a fan of any specific system, just one that doesn’t require ceaseless ‘growth’ resulting in the exploitation of labor and the extraction of limited natural resources.
People cannot eat or drink or warm themselves with ‘shareholder value’.
While we often disagree on a lot, I cannot argue with that. You are 100% correct.
Common ground
Someone’s getting a payout for allowing this. Totally unnecessary!!! There are already enough gas stations!! Smh.
Hi Catherine, Can you please expand on your comment, specifically who you think may be “getting a payout”?
It’s funny, the same people who complain about the taxes going up and wanting more services and resources and facilities are also the first to complain about businesses coming to town, albeit in areas that are already commercialized and on the border of Woonsocket….make it make sense MCC!
We need more opportunities for residents of the town, not gas stations…..⛽️ How about we put two new ones near your residence JP? I think that a few more in Slatersville might be a good idea. You only have one in that area of town. By the way, is this the type of business that we want? The answer is a resounding no!
MCC – Have you ever taken a finance course in all your areas of expertise?
Yes, and I have run a non-profit organization. Your curriculum vitae or your areas of expertise, Mr. JP, always afraid to use your real name! Do tell the advantages of having 5 or more gas stations within a three mile radius? Making the town looking dumpier than it already is, maybe they can sell used cars on the side.
JP is my real name. That’s what people call me – “JP”.
And the non profit mentality makes sense vs business in zoned commercial areas where businesses are allowed to exist within set guidelines and make a profit. 🙂
Sure it is. Maybe you put the wrong letter at the end.
Now that RIDOT is making significant enhancements to the 146/146A interchange, increasing access to 146A and the businesses on 146 itself, the commercial value of nearby land is increasing. This is especially true for businesses catering to travelers & commuters, like gas stations. This also grows the tax revenue from these businesses.
Outside of our zoning regulations, we cannot dictate where businesses or individuals locate. There were once several additional gas stations in Slatersville, but they all moved or closed after 146 was built; either because they were no longer profitable or because land nearer to the on and off-ramps was more desirable for the business. The situation today is much the same, otherwise there would be applications to build new gas stations there as well.
Because those businesses don’t actually drive any real productive revenue to the town. North Smithfield doesn’t tax inventory or sales. So they only collect property and land tax. The land would be more productive tax and revenue wise as being a few multifamily homes than it would a gas station.
I’m 100% behind building more multifamily homes in town. That said, additional multifamily homes would likely be a burden not a blessing: the property would then be taxed at the residential rate and even at the commercial rate, all of those families will have kids we have to educate which is the most expensive thing we do as a town.
So no, multifamily homes would reduce the tax revenue received compared to a gas station.
And the jobs the new business will provide…..nearest where they live, is another asset. Otherwise ppl have to travel out of town for gainful employment.
You’re assuming those living in those homes would have children, when birthrates and and average “family size” have been declining for decades. Secondly, additional children does not always mean significant additional cost for the schools. In fact, as long as the additional children doesn’t trigger the necessary hire of another staff member, additional children are beneficial for the school’s finances, as they will receive more state aid.
State aid has been decreased. All cities are now hurting. Having to find new ways to cut corners, decrease expenditures. And face it, many teachers dish out their own cash for much-needed class items, for a very long time. But with their pays, this cannot continue, as they shoulder more health care costs, that have been decreased as well. Benefits reduced. Big picture.
The first two locations are logical, especially with the additional car wash. Greenville Rd intersection is already a cf, another convenience/ gas station is unnecessary.
Good to know the North Smithfield town planners/council have no actual *plan* for the town.
The Beef Barn location is literally right next to a gas station, and there’s FOUR gas stations less than a mile away from it. The stretch of 146 near the church already has the Stop & Shop gas station that’s never particularly busy, and there are THREE more gas stations less than a half-mile from the Stop & Shop gas station (4 including the aforementioned Beef Barn site) …and then the location further down 146 already has a gas station on either side of the highway!
There is almost *nothing* to do in North Smithfield. No entertainment, no night life, little recreation, very little variety in food/dining. But man, you can sure get gas! Anywhere you want! Every quarter mile in this town will have a gas station!
Thank you! My sentiments exactly.
You know….. you’re right. But driving through NS, what and where ? 146 is not the place for multi housing. Those two houses need to be gone. 146 Gateway to gas stations and auto dealers. Any suggestions?
N.S. is gonna look like West Warwick soon.
Yes, because God knows, we need more gas stations!