Fall River Zoning Board of Appeals grants requests for seasonal bar, new apartments, residential/commercial complex with amenities

Several proposals were in front of the City of Fall River Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday.

KARA O’CONNEL c/o Atty Jeffrey P. Medeiros requested a Special Permit to be allowed to operate a seasonal bar, entertainment, event space serving alcohol and providing food via food trucks and licensed vendors at 180 River Street. The proposed uses are additional to the existing commercial boat yard/ storage facility. 

O’ Connel addressed issues previously made by the board including decreasing capacity from 200 to 150. The establishment will operate 7 days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. from May 15th to October 31st.

The Special Permit was granted.

BRAD T. TURNER c/o Atty. Peter A. Saulino requested a Special Permit to extend the existing non-conforming structure by adding a second floor. The applicant also requested a Variance to convert the existing garage into a two-unit residential apartment building with four off street parking spaces. Waiving the requirements of Section 86-35 Attachment I and Section  86-36 Attachment II of the City of Fall River Zoning Bylaw. 

The proposal was denied due to the pending addition being too close to the neighbor’s residence.

ROCKVIEW, LLC c/o Atty. Peter A. Saulino tabled to the July meeting a requested Variance to convert the two existing convents and carriage house at 550 & 570 Rock St into 15 residential apartment units. Waiving the requirements of the R-4 Zoning District as detailed in Section 86-35 Attachment I and Section 86-36 Attachment II of the City of Fall River Zoning Bylaw. 

HYDE DEVELOPMENT, LLC c/o Thomas P. Killoran withdrew and will refile for the July meeting a request for a Special Permit to construct 72 residential units consisting of 6 multifamily buildings at 0 & 47 Slade Street each with 12 units in a CMD District pursuant to Section 86-36 Attachment II. 2. To construct parking, which is not located within a structure, to be located within 10 feet of the lot line pursuant to Section 86-444(b)(1) and 86-445. 

ANTONE BENEVIDES requested a Variance to enclose an existing deck on the east side of the property line of 38 Judge Street making it a four-season room. Waiving the as requirements of Section 86-34.  The property is located within a “S” (Single-Family) Zoning District.  

The request was granted.

INVAGEN PHAMACEUTICALS INC. c/o Civil and Environmental Consultants requested a Special Permit to get relief/modification from the current 20’ parking setback requirements of Section 86-202 E in accordance with the provisions of 86-445. The applicant proposed to construct parking spaces at 927 Currant Road 5 feet from the abutting property lines to increase parking for an expanding workforce. The property is located within a “IP” (Industrial Park) Zoning District. 

The request was granted.

MARIA FATIMA BENSON requested a Variance to allow relief from Section 86-36 Attachment 2 allowing the conversion of an existing structure at 452 S. Main Street (formerly Bridal Store by Alexandria’s) into a 5-unit residential apartment building in a CBD District.  

Benson requested a Special Permit to allow relief from Section 86-441 to allow for 8 parking spaces in lieu of the required 10 spaces. The property is located within a “CBD” (Central Business) Zoning District. It was originally granted on November 16, 2023, but never acted upon.  

The requests were granted.

SEGUNDO OSWALDO PAUCAR MOROCHO c/o Atty. Peter A. Saulino withdrew the petition requesting a Variance to subdivide the existing parcel at 672-686 Brayton Avenue into two parcels leaving an existing two -family dwelling on Parcel 2 and to erect a single-family dwelling on Parcel 1 seeking, waivers from of Section 86 Attachment I of the Zoning Ordinance as to frontage pertaining to Parcel 1 and setbacks and lot coverage pertaining to Parcel 2. 

LITTLE TIGER CAPITAL LLC c/o Atty. Peter Saulino requested a Variance to convert the existing professional office building at 139 S. Main Street into a mixed-use building containing 68-70 residential apartments (26 studios, 27 one bedrooms, 7 one bedrooms with dens, 8 two bedrooms) and 7 commercial or professional office spaces pursuant to Section 86-376(B) to allow residential use on the first floor.  

The applicant also requested a Special Permit to continue to utilize the existing non-conforming structure and to waive parking requirements and Applicant proposes to meet the requirements for parking as set forth in 86-376E (2) of the Fall River Zoning Ordinance. The property is located within a “CBD & AOD” (Central Business & Arts Overlay) Zoning District. 

The development will be luxury/market rate with renters expected within 2 years. The petitioner and partners have extensive experience in transforming properties. Among the amenities will be a furnished roof deck overlooking the water, a spa, a sauna, pet washing stations, media labs, and a movie theater.

Parking would be utilized at the Pearl Street parking garage. It was also noted that the City of Fall River is committed to repairing parking garages to regain parking spaces.

The requests were granted with the stipulations that no residential units face South Main Street, and 70 parking spaces are committed within a 2,000-foot radius).

LUIS E. FLORES & BLANDINA M. FLORES c/o Atty. Peter Saulino requested a Special Permit to add a front porch and alter the east side bump out of the property at 275 Dickinson Street. The applicant sought a Special Permit to allow for the alteration of the existing structure and to expand the existing porch pursuant to Section 86-426(B). The property is located within a “S” (Single-Family) Zoning District. 

The request was granted.

BAYSTATE REALTY INVESTMENTS LLC c/o Peter A. Saulino requested a Variance to demolish the existing garage space at 0 Ross Street and construct a residential 3-bedroom per unit duplex on the property.  The applicant sought relief from Section 86 Attachment I of the Fall River Zoning Ordinance to waive lot area, frontage, lot coverage and building setback requirements. The property is located within a “A-2” (Apartment) Zoning District.  

The request was denied.

LUCAS NUNES COUTO c/o Jeffrey P. Tallman requested a Variance to make the finished apartment unit located in the basement of 1179 S. Main Street a legal apartment, bringing the total number of residential apartment units in the building from two to three. The petitioner proposes to waive the requirement for off-street parking. The property is located within a “R-4” (Two-Family) Zoning District.

Couto bought the property this year and was later informed that the basement apartment was not legal.

The request has been tabled as it may be able to be classified as an EDU.