Public hearing approved over gas station-convenience store request

By KATY SAVAGE
[email protected]
WALPOLE — The Planning Board has given approval to hold a public hearing over a request to build a gas station and convenience store on 1.5 acres of land near the Walpole Veterinary Clinic.

 The Planning Board will make a decision to recommend or not recommend the project to the Zoning Board after the hearing. The Zoning Board will then have a hearing and review criteria and make recommendations regarding the project.

The Planning Board hearing is scheduled for May 8 at 7 p.m. and the Zoning Board hearing is May 16 at 7:30 p.m.

D & C Transportation, which owns a vacant 10-acre lot on Walker Road near the veterinary clinic, said it hopes to build a gas station with a 6,000-square-foot convenience store operated by Big Deal Convenience Stores — which has locations in Spofford and Keene.

There would be eight gas-filling stations and 28 parking spaces when the site is done. A drive-through window that serves food like pizza, sandwiches and coffee is also planned.

D & C, which is based in Orleans, Vermont, filed an appeal March 15 over zoning regulations. The land that it wants to build on is zoned agricultural, which does not permit a gas station or convenience store.

D & C must prove it won’t cause undue hazard or harm, including safety and noise harm, to residents.  The company also needs to prove that the project is consistent with the Town Plan and meets other criteria.

Attempts to contact the owner of D & C Transportation were unsuccessful.

D & C purchased the land in September for $269,000, records show.

“There is a lot of interest in the town,” said Planning Board Chair Jeff Miller.

Miller said the interest “all seems to be on one side.”

Walpole currently has three gas stations —  Jiffy Mart,  Jake’s Market and Deli and Walpole Irving.

“There would be a lot of them together,” said Miller, who declined to share his thoughts before the public hearing.