The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved the Stonebridge Bistro's plan to build a deck on the back of its restaurant during a public hearing held on July 11.

The Stonebridge property, which includes the restaurant and a marina, is located at 5 East Boulevard in Onset on the banks of the East River. The owner of the property, John Cornish, plans to build a deck onto the back of the restaurant, which would increase the capacity of the facility from 75 patrons to 120.

With the additional deck, restaurant owner Justin Hadley, who could not make the meeting because he also works as a chef at Stonebridge, must now go in front of the Board of Selectmen to update his liquor license.

The project was met with some opposition, because Onset experiences a cramped parking situation with many residents having only on-street parking spaces and virtually no businesses having designated parking spaces to meet customers’ needs. During the summer months, an influx of summer residents and tourists makes the problem worse.

Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals Kenneth Ferreira began the hearing asking attendees not to voice the same concerns expressed at previous meetings regarding the expansion. Nevertheless, similar opinions both against and in favor of the expansion resurfaced.

Ferreira started by reading a petition signed by 16 residents of East Boulevard that expressed opposition to the proposed deck.

"The property has insufficient parking for its current operations, never mind an expansion," the petition said. "We believe that any expansion to this property would be detriment to the neighborhood as a whole."

Another letter, written by Christopher Simmons, was also read.

Arguing against the expansion, Simmons wrote that "the parking issue in Onset is a very real difficulty and is onerous to small businesses in town. However, it is incumbent upon the town to ensure that the needs of these businesses are adequately balanced by the priority for public safety and the need for residential parking."

Supporters at the meeting argued that a new deck would not only be an asset to the restaurant, but an asset to the entire Onset community.

"This town needs money, and they need it from the supporting businesses," said active volunteer and Onset resident Susan Ricci. "It's a big tax base for this community."

Richard Boucher, a resident of Carleton Street in Onset, also supported the expansion.

"I look forward to dining on the deck with the beautiful view it provides," he said.

Despite the arguments for and against the expansion expressed during the meeting, Board Vice Chair Michael Martin said that ultimately the expansion was perfectly legal.

An additional concern, however, was brought up by Nancy Miller, clerk of the Onset Protective League.

Miller noted that a 1916 decree made by the state Supreme Judicial Court in favor of the League might protect the East Boulevard area from further development.

Miller asked the Zoning Board for clarification about whether development of the property was legal according to the decree.

Because the decree was outside of the topic of zoning and therefore out of that board's jurisdiction, the board said that its approval was conditioned upon the Board of Selectmen confirming that the expansion is indeed legal.

Further conditions on the Zoning Board's approval stated that the permit is for two years and subject to Zoning Board review after that time period. In addition, the Stonebridge is required to add three handicapped parking spaces -- two in front of the restaurant and one in back.

The approval is now subject to an approximately 20-day time period during which an individual can appeal the Zoning Board's decision. After that, Cornish and Hadley are basically good-to-go with their expansion.

"I'm really pleased. I'm pleased [the Zoning Board] paid attention to the facts," said Cornish after the meeting, adding that he would like to open the deck in 2013. "I'm excited."