Zoning Subcommittee rejects proposal that would allow for rental car facility on Squire Road

  After working hard to improve Squire Road, city councillors said they don’t want Enterprise Rent-A-Car to turn a portion of the roadway into a large car lot.

  On Monday night, representatives from Enterprise were before the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee asking for a zoning change that would allow for an automotive/truck rental office and storage in the district along Squire Road by special permit. Enterprise was looking to move its longstanding location at 55 American Legion Hwy. to 85 Squire Rd. The site is a former Verizon store between Wendy’s and IHOP, according to Nicholas Zozula, the attorney representing Enterprise.

  “They need to move from American Legion Highway because the landlord is developing the property at the existing location and their lease is up,” said Zozula.

  The attorney said 85 Squire Rd. is in a Highway Business district which does not allow for the automotive rental office and storage and that his client was asking to amend the ordinance to allow that use by special permit. “This will allow the city to have major oversight on any proposal and application in the HB district,” said Zozula. “We’ve worked with the Planning Board on very specific conditions and restrictions … to ensure that this type of use, which would be allowed by special permit, does have protections and oversight by the city.”

  Ward 3 Councillor Arthur Guinasso said the proposal is in the district he represents. “What this would do is open up that whole area … and make it a huge parking lot for trucks, and in my opinion, it is not a good use for the property,” said Guinasso. “We’ve spent the last 15 to 20 years trying to beautify that area; we spent a ton of money fixing and beautifying that circle. We try to work with all the businesses on that Squire Road, but to put this there would be an insult to everybody.”

  Guinasso said an Enterprise site would only create more traffic and congestion, especially with another Amazon facility slated to open up the road at the former Showcase Cinema site.

  City Council President Anthony Zambuto said he agrees that the Enterprise facility is not part of his vision for Squire Road. “Frankly, I consider this spot zoning and I’m totally against it, I’m totally against spot zoning and I’m totally against this proposal,” said Zambuto.

  The Zoning Subcommittee voted unanimously not to recommend approval of the zoning ordinance amendment presented by Enterprise.