By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

NORTH SMITHFIELD — The Planning Board’s public hearing Thursday for the remaining three phases of Dowling Village wasn’t much of a public hearing after planners and lawyers representing the applicant agreed to treat the session as an historical overview in order to bring two newly-elected members of the board up to speed on the project.

That means the public hearing proper on the second, third and fourth phases of the proposed 120-acre shopping complex won’t kick off until Jan. 15 with a second hearing to take place on Jan. 29. Those were the two dates agreed to on Thursday night. Additional hearing dates, if needed, will be decided on Jan. 29.
For the first hour of Thursday night’s session — even before the overview began — lawyers representing project developer, Bucci Development, and the citizens group, Valley Alliance for Smart Growth, tangled over whether the public hearings should be delayed because an underground injection control, or UIC, permit for the project is still pending before the Department of Environmental Management
Valley Alliance attorney Christopher D’Ovidio argued that the public hearings shouldn’t begin until the permit has been approved, while lawyers for the developer argued that permit approval isn’t required in order for the public hearings to proceed.
Town Solicitor Richard Nadeau sided with applicant, saying it was his opinion the public hearing process could go forward because the permit was included in a checklist already certified as completed by former Town Planner Michael Phillips.
When put to a vote, the planners agreed to go forward with the hearings on condition that the applicant agrees to either withdraw the application or extend the 120-day approval timeline if the permit is not approved by the state later on.
First proposed four years ago, Dowling Village is a 133-acre, $85 million mixed-use development proposed for Route 146A on the Woonsocket city line.
A master plan for phases 2 and 3 of the project have been submitted to the planners for approval and consists of seven retail buildings totaling 555,504-square-feet; three restaurants totaling 16,442-square feet; and a three-story 75,000-square-foot office building and parking for a total of 2,689 vehicles.
The planning board will review project impacts from all four phases, including phase 1, which is partially constructed and includes a 17,762-square-foot CVS pharmacy — which opened last year — and a 5,000-square-foot restaurant, and phase 4, which consists of 76 residential condominiums.
The project, as proposed, has two entrances, one at the Dowling Village Highway/Route 146A and the other just north of the National Grid power line between 408 and 322 Eddie Dowling Highway.
Last June, Bucci Development announced it would move forward and secure final local approval for the project after the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) approved a permit for the last three phases of the project.
That month, the DEM approved a permit for phases two, three and four of the project, which was the last state regulatory approval needed in order for Bucci Development to move forward to secure final local approval from the North Smithfield Planning Board.
Phase one of Dowling Village, off Route 146A and abutting Woonsocket, is nearing completion with the opening of an 18,000-square-foot CVS pharmacy last July. The later phases will bring the construction of more than 600,000 square feet of commercial space as well as additional construction in office space, restaurants, and residential uses.
The project has its supporters, who say the tax revenue generated by the project will be an economical boon to the town. Opponents argue the project will create ecological and other problems.