The Watertown city planning board has rejected a proposal to expand the Sunoco store on Washington Street.

Meeting Tuesday afternoon, the board unanimously turned down Sunoco's proposal to expand its store, which would have required rezoning some property.

The move was controversial among neighbors to the Sunoco property.

Our story from Monday...

Bigger isn't better. That's how some Watertown folks feel about their next door neighbor - a gas station. 

The background: Sunoco planned a bigger, better gas station and convenience store for Washington Street, but the plan was shot down by the city planning board in September. Now the company is back with a smaller proposal, but the store's neighbors are not convinced.

"The concern is this. It's the lighting, it's the noise, it's the 24-7," said Fred McGraw of 121 Elm Street.

To expand, Sunoco needs some of the property behind its existing store rezoned from residential to neighborhood business.  But that same property has been serving as a buffer zone between the business and its neighbors, and the new store would end up closer to nearby homes.

"There's currently noise that we hear on a nightly basis where the property is, as it sits. Bringing that back further into our residential neighborhood will only increase that for us," said Mary Espinoza of 123 Chestnut Street.

Neighbors are worried the new Sunoco station would look a lot like the one on Arsenal Street, which they say is too big and bright to be next to a neighborhood.

And would it set a precedent on Washington street?

"If they start taking over residential property it would allow any other company on Washington street - any other business - to go into residential 'a,'" said McGraw.

Sunoco's architect says the new store would be similar, but smaller than its one on Arsenal street. The architect said substantial landscaping and sidewalk improvements would benefit the neighborhood.

The city planning board is expected to consider Sunoco's expansion plan at its meeting Tuesday.