TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK
Architectural Review Board
302 Main Street Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741
Telephone (860) 395-3131 FAX (860) 395-1216
MINUTES
Regular Meeting
Monday, March 27, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman David Wight called the regular meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. Alternate Guy Pendleton was seated to make a quorum.
II. ROLL CALL
Attendant Members Absent Members
David Wight, Chairman None
Elizabeth Swenson, Vice Chairman
Jonathan Gibbs, Regular Member
Kingman Snow, Regular Member Attendant Staff
Frank Vinciguerra, Regular Member Janet Vinciguerra, Recording Clerk
Guy Pendleton, Alternate
Jonathan Gibbs arrived at 7:40 p.m.
Elizabeth Swenson arrived at 8:50 p.m.
III. OLD BUSINESS
A. “Center Rentals” Sign
Center Road West, Lots A and B (Map 26 / Lot 6-15)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant/Agent: George Hollister
Mr. Hollister was not present. However, as requested by the Board at the last regular meeting, Mr. Hollister submitted sign details to the Land Use office prior to this meeting.
MOTION to recommend approval of the proposed signage as submitted.
MOVED by K. Snow SECONDED by G. Pendleton
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, K. Snow, G. Pendleton and F. Vinciguerra.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Mr. Gibbs arrived at 7:40 p.m. and Mr. Pendleton was unseated.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. “Wallflower by Design” Sign
670 Boston Post Road (Map 37 / Lot 53)
Shopping Center Business B-2 District
Applicant/Agent: Barbara Wall
Ms. Barbara Wall was present. Ms. Wall stated that the street sign will be a monument sign, which will be placed in the same location as the previous street sign. It will not be illuminated, double-sided, black background with gold-leaf lettering and will be perpendicular to the street. The building signs will be placed on the north and south sides of the building. The Board requested photos of the building to show the exact location of where the building signs will be mounted. Ms. Wall confirmed that she will return at the next meeting with photos.
MOTION to recommend approval of the street monument sign as presented and table the building signs until the next regularly scheduled meeting on April 10, 2006.
MOVED by F. Vinciguerra SECONDED by K. Snow
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, J. Gibbs, K. Snow and F. Vinciguerra.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
B. “Ford Dealership” Façade Renovation
1 Ford Drive (Map 40 / Lot 28)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant: A&B Construction Agent: Alfred Giangrande
Mr. Alfred Giangrande of A&B Construction was present. Mr. Giangrande stated that there will be no changes to the footprint of the building. This is strictly a façade renovation consisting of new clapboard, architectural roof shingles, trim and corner boards and a new cupola. The clapboard will be white with “Ford” blue trim and corner boards. Mr. Wight suggested the trim elements from the lighting down to the ground remain the existing gray color. Mr. Vinciguerra recommended the cupola to be a minimum of 5 to 6 feet square. Mr. Gibbs added that the cupola should be in proportion with the building. Mr. Snow recommended low wattage recessed hats of 75 to 90-watts.
MOTION to table this application until the next regularly scheduled meeting on April 10, 2006 so that the applicant can present more detailed information such as 1. plans of renovation drawn to scale
2. elevations of the three sides of the building
3. include dimensions of all details
MOVED by F. Vinciguerra SECONDED by K. Snow
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, J. Gibbs, K. Snow and F. Vinciguerra.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
C. “Saybrook Commons” Discussion: Proposed changes as an agreed-upon modification of the Stipulated Judgment…Request of Lewis K. Wise, Rogin Nassau, Attorneys at Law
Mr. Stuart Fairbanks of MacDonald Sharpe Associates and Mr. Kevin Daley of Sage Management were present to represent the applicant. Mr. Fairbanks provided background of the original plan and then the updated proposal before the Board. Mr. Fairbanks explained that there is a court ordered stipulated judgment, which precludes major changes to the approved plan. However, some modifications can be made to the plan if all parties agree. The approved plan consists of 186 rental units consisting of one to two bedroom units of which 25% will be “affordable.”
Mr. Gibbs inquired whether access through the Wal-Mart parking lot was considered. Mr. Fairbanks stated that this was considered but ruled out primarily for liability reasons. The Main Street access is the only access to a town street. The new proposal includes an emergency exit through the Burger King parking lot.
(Ms. Swenson arrived at 8:50 pm.)
There will be an on-site management/leasing office located in the community building. Mr. Daley stated that the new proposal will have upgraded architectural features, elements and materials such as stone walls, limestone signage, Victorian rod-iron fencing at the entrance as well as stone, brick, shingles and stucco for the exterior of the buildings. The roofing will have some patina copper elements. Mr. Daley described the architectural style of the new proposal as Italianate Victorian.
The buildings will not have elevators but the first floor units are ADA adaptable. Mr. Vinciguerra strongly opposed the absence of elevators in the buildings. Mr. Daley explained that he is limited to the boundary of the court ordered judgment and adding elevators to the buildings would not allow him to comply with the 186 units and the approved site plan.
The new proposal also includes larger windows and French doors with balconies in some units. The buildings are all sound engineered and the decks are 10 to 12 feet deep.
Mr. Gibbs suggested that the placement of the buildings could be shifted to allow more campus/quad-like site plan. Ms. Swenson agreed that there could be some alternate changes to the site plan to allow more open space that addresses public and private transitional spaces of the development. Mr. Wight stated that he would like to see more personal outside space such as first floor patios to extend out five feet whenever possible. Mr. Gibbs stressed the need to have well defined landscaped areas for the stewardship of the common areas.
In summary, the following are the specific recommendations of the Board:
1. Attempt to address some degree of private space transition from public space.
2. Boundaries should be clearly defined.
3. Avoid conditions of ill-defined spaces.
4. Flip buildings 4, 5 and the community building to define the common space as a courtyard.
5. Buildings 3 and 4 are too close for security issues.
6. Improve the architectural value of the garages to provide more character articulation of the massive by increasing the roof height.
7. Improve entryway with more structures, columns, water features, sidewalks and fencing.
8. Provide flowerboxes at each deck railing.
In conclusion, Mr. Wight stated that the redesign is a great service to the Town and the applicant is to be congratulated. Ms. Swenson added that she particularly approves of the design of the community building.
D. “Castle at Cornfield Point” Special Exception, Site Plan, Building and Façade Renovation
12 Billow Road (Map 1 / Lot 82-4)
Residence A District
Applicant: Fellner Associates Architects Agent: George Fellner, AIA
Mr. George Fellner, Mr. Carl and Mrs. Maureen Cote, owners, and Mr. John Beck, Attorney for the owners, were present. The application is to convert the single-family residence into a two (2) family dwelling units. Unit A will be 11,000 square feet and Unit B will be 14,000 square feet. Mr. Fellner gave a detailed presentation of the site plan, floor plan, elevations, renderings and historical photographs. The architectural elements of the original building will be preserved and mirrored in the renovations and additions. The existing red tile roof will remain and the roof for the additions will be a cultured gray slate. The new garages will have cultured stone along the bottom half with bone white siding and beige/brown wood trim for the top half.
The exterior lights will be lantern-style.
Mr. Ted Levy of Gates Road inquired about the square footage of the addition and asked the Board to consider that this is a major renovation to a historical building. Attorney John Beck, representing the owners, stated that applications to the federal and state historical registries for this building were submitted in the past but were not accepted. Therefore, this building is not on either registry. Mr. Levy also inquired whether or not this application should require a town vote since this project constitutes converting to condominiums. Chairman Wight replied that is a matter for the Zoning Commission.
MOTION to recommend approval of the special exception, site plan, building and façade renovation as presented.
MOVED by F. Vinciguerra SECONDED by D. Wight
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, K. Snow and F. Vinciguerra.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: J. Gibbs. APPROVED: 4-0-1.
V. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Meeting Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes of 3/13/06 as presented.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by F. Vinciguerra
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and J. Gibbs. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none APPROVED: 5-0-0.
B. Correspondence – Minutes, agendas and notices from other Land Use boards and commissions were distributed. Also, included in the agenda packets was a letter from Ms. Gwen Stengel Pond of 115 Maple Avenue requesting that all major building projects in town have an architectural rendering posted clearly in front of each project site.
C. Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
1. Mr. Snow submitted an article from the Hartford Courant dated March 26, 2006 regarding harsh lighting. Ms. Swenson requested the clerk to make copies for all board members and include in the next agenda packet.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 11:16 p.m. until the next regular meeting on Monday, April 10, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main St.
MOVED by K. Snow SECONDED by F. Vinciguerra
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow and F. Vinciguerra. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Janet S. Vinciguerra, Recording Clerk
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