Council continues hearing on Welcome Pastures proposal after neighbors press traffic, noise and liability concerns

The Glocester Town Council on June 18 continued a public hearing on a zoning amendment that would let Welcome Pastures, operated by WS Enterprises LLC, host private events such as weddings and retreats on a property in the plan development (PUD) at Plat 18, Lot 10. The council set the continuation for July 16, 2026.

The applicant’s attorney told the council the nonprofit’s stated purpose is to support retired thoroughbred horses and that revenue from private events would fund care and rehabilitation. The attorney said the organization is currently listed as a 501(c)(3) and that the applicant has submitted a detailed plan addressing security, parking, ingress/egress and alcohol service. “We submitted a plan to address all of the concerns,” the attorney said, adding that the police told the applicant to use one entrance for coming in and the other for exiting to avoid congestion.

Neighbors who spoke at the hearing urged the council to require stricter, enforceable conditions or deny the use. Ken Neri, a nearby resident, questioned the applicant’s parking math and asked who would be liable if a child or guest wandered onto neighboring property or a cigarette started a fire. “When you talk about 100 cars, that could be 200 people,” Neri said, pressing the point that event attendance and vehicle counts are not interchangeable.

Several neighbors asked the council to require that large events over 50 cars use the 459 Snake Hill Road entrance only; they said a second entrance at 401 Snake Hill Road is close to adjacent homes and has caused confusion. “That driveway is approximately 200 feet from my house,” said Susan Bridges, an adjacent property owner, who urged the council to require event traffic to enter and exit from the 459 access and to authorize monitoring and signage to prevent guests from inadvertently entering neighboring properties.

The police chief reported an on-site review and told the council that narrow driveways (about 11.5 feet wide in places) mean two-way traffic would not be safe; officers recommended an inbound lane and a distinct outbound lane and offered to provide a written list of safety recommendations after reviewing event-specific plans. The chief said the on-site parking area showed enough space for the number of cars proposed, but that temporary lighting, sound levels and event-by-event plans will need case-by-case review.

Council members and the solicitor emphasized that zoning approval would only allow the use in the PUD; separate special-event and liquor licensing processes would still be required. The solicitor and several councilors also explained the council can impose detailed conditions — including limits on frequency, hours, and a sunset clause — or grant temporary permission that would require reapplication when the trial period ends.

After extended public comment and questions, a councilor moved to continue the public hearing to July 16 so staff can gather police recommendations, draft potential stipulations, and provide the planning board’s materials and any missing documentation. The motion to continue carried.

What’s next: The council requested formal, written input from the police department and said it expects the applicant to provide clarified event schedules, a final parking diagram, vendor insurance certificates, and a detailed traffic-control plan before the July 16 meeting.