Seasons Corner Market developers were back before the Tiverton Planning board last Tuesday seeking preliminary plan approval for the controversial convenience store that would be built at Souza and Main roads.

First proposed by Colbea Enterprises LLC in March 2022, the plan earned Zoning Board of Review approval last May and master plan approval from the planning board in June 2023.

Last week, developers presented preliminary plans and said the project has changed little since last May, when the zoning board of review approved a special use permit, apart from the addition of some plantings.

“The project has been fully engineered; there are no unanswered questions on the engineering,” attorney Rob Stolzman said, adding that an updated environmental report shows there would be no environmental issues.

Still, planning board members had concerns. Chairwoman Cheryl Valentine raised concerns regarding traffic, a topic covered extensively during the project's time in front of the zoning board.

“It seems like the traffic report was done during COVID, and the second traffic report was not during a school time,” Valentine said.

Stolzman said that the COVID traffic study was “grossed up” for more accurate post-COVID numbers and that the second one was also peer-reviewed.

“There’s nothing for you to understand about traffic. The finding has been made that this is a permitted use,” he added. “The Zoning Board of Review made a finding that special use permits are permitted specifically with a traffic standard and your standards don’t provide for an additional traffic review,” Stolzman added that they would be willing to discuss traffic circulation.

Numerous residents also spoke, all of them opposed to the project.

Ron Marsh spoke on concerns that the business could attract crime, including “drug activity and gang members."

“Citizens of this town have the right to expect and demand a basic level of security and that includes utmost care with any business model that has been shown to attract crime,” Marsh said.

Resident John Reed added that he does not believe the traffic reports, describing them as “deficient.” He argued that the report did not address concerns about people coming off Route 24 to get gas, saying that it would be the closest gas station for miles for some people.

“Re-analyze and restudy the safety and danger issues and you’ll find that it may have convinced the zoning board on the technicalities that exist for the zoning board, but it shouldn’t convince a planning board,” he said.

Jen Fernandes expressed concerns about the drive through and its proximity to numerous single-family homes.

“I do not know of any drive through in this town, whether it be for fast food or pharmacy, where every single abutter is a single-family residence,” she said.

Fernandes added that she worries about the constant noise of traffic coming in and out of the location. But Stolzman said the market will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., per the zoning board.

The planning board is expected continue discussions on the preliminary plan on Tuesday, Oct. 6.