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TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK Zoning Commission |
302 Main Street Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741 Telephone (860) 395-3131 FAX (860) 395-1216
MINUTES REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, July 18, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. Pasbeshauke Pavilion at Saybrook
Point Park 155 College Street Extension Saybrook Point |
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman, Madeleine Fish, called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Attendant Members Absent Members
Madeleine Fish, Chairman Robert Friedmann, Vice Chairman
Elizabeth Steffen, Regular Member Walter Harris, Secretary
Geraldine Lewis, Alternate Member Paula Stuart, Regular Member
Barbara Galler, Alternate Member Charles Sohl, Alternate Member
Attendant Staff
Andrea DeDominicis, Recording Clerk
Christina Costa, Enforcement Officer
*All members were seated.
III. CORRESPONDENCE
Branse & Willis submitted three bills which totaled $783.00.
IV. MINUTES
Motion to accept minutes as corrected. See attachment.
V. PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION: Boat Storage facility, 15 Clark St.- James O’Rourke
James O’Rourke summarized his plan to create a 12 month, year round boat
storage facility. Mr. O’Rourke stated it would be a convenience for his customers
to store and park their boats at his facility because he is close to the public boat ramp under the Baldwin Bridge. His customers would enter the circular driveway, stop and wait for their boat to be hitched to their car, then proceed out of the driveway over to the boat ramp and launch their boats into the water.
Madge Fish asked Mr. Rourke how many boat parking spaces he would have and if he would need a second level. Mr. O’Rourke felt that 48 ground level storage units would be sufficient for the boats he would like to store. Madge Fish mentioned that it may be a good idea to have an apartment above the house/office so the storage yard has an occupant on the premises. Mr. O’Rourke thought that was a good idea as well. All the Commission members felt Mr. O’Rourke should move forward with an application.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
A. Site Plan Review (Cont’d.): Municipal Information Booth 1 Main Street, Map 40/Lot 1, B-1 District
Applicant: BOS Village Gateway Commission
Agent: Jos. Metzendorf (NLT 9/8/05)
Joe Metzendorf and Robert Doane, engineer for the applicant, were present to address Commission member questions.
Elizabeth Steffen said she would like to see the handicap parking area moved closer to the building for quicker access in case of rain or bad weather. Robert Doane showed the Commission members a parking plan with two designated handicap spaces that will be shared by Starbucks Coffee
Company as well. Mr. Doane felt the handicap spaces would need to remain in their present location unless the Department of Transportation (DOT) would give their approval, by widening space #11, which would extend onto their property. Mr. Doane said he would submit a proposal to the DOT. Mr. Doane also told the Commission that space #12 would be a town designated space. The DOT will stipulate the signage for entering and exiting the property.
VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
A. SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION: (Cont’d.)
Starbucks coffee retail operation, 15-19 Main Street, Maps 37, 50/Lots 51, 1, B-1, District
Applicant: Starbucks Coffee Company Agent: Robert Doane (NLT 8/9/05
Dan Shallit, Development Manager, assured the Commission members that all required variances were in place, except for the parking variance. Starbucks plans to have a total of 22 parking spaces. Mr. Shallit said the employees would park off the premises to allow more spaces for customers. There will be one sign which will conform to code and the landscaping will match the BOS Village Gateway landscaping. Starbucks and the Gateway Municipal Booth plan to look like one uniformed site. Starbucks will also match the architectural style of the Gateway Municipal Booth. If Starbucks needs lighting, they will choose a colonial style that is acceptable to the town. Starbucks will have public restrooms and the proposed sanitary system will be a “living filter” system. Roof run off will go in two directions which is typical to other town buildings.
Chris Costa, Enforcement Officer, informed of the following: referral, responses were received from Geoff Jacobson, Don Lucas, Health Department, Branse & Willis, among others who were in favor of the plans but the Planning Commission recommended a denial. Madge Fish stated that the Zoning Commission may need a “super majority” vote. Ms. Fish then asked for responses from the audience members. Ms. Jean Castagno said she was in favor of the project and felt it would improve the area.
B. SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION/COASTAL SITE PLAN REVIEW
(Cont’d.): CVS Pharmacy, Boston Post Road & Stage Road, Map 40/Lots 14-17, B-4 District
Applicant: Issues Management, LLC Agent: Attorney David M. Royston (NLT 7/25/05)
Attorney David Royston presented an Ordinance 71 check in the full amount asked for by the Commission members. Attorney Royston addressed all comments from the previous discussion during the last meeting. He summarized facts relating to traffic counts, parking calculations, business hours, and lighting styles. Attorney Royston talked about the “corrected statement of use” which will include a “right turn in- only” access from Boston Post Road. Pick up and delivery trucks will be allowed to access the property during non-business hours only. All trucks will access the store from the Boston Post Road entry site.
Attorney Royston also stated the applicants will upgrade the building and architectural plans to meet the Architectural Review Boards desires. Attorney Royston then introduced Patrick O’Leary of VHB and Karen Mann, the design engineer for the project. Ms. Mann addressed the fire marshals concerns with the access point onto the site. He suggested softening the curbing so the fire trucks would have easier access. Karen Mann showed the
Commission members two revised plans for the fire hydrant and curbing.
Patick O’Leary talked about the Proposed Retail Plan. Mr. O’Leary would like to thin a few of the existing trees which will help their growth. He stated that he was happy to comply with the suggestions of the ARB. He changed the front door position, color scheme, and roof line. Mr. O’Leary is willing to install window boxes but mentioned they are low to the ground. It is common for people to put trash in them which is unsightly and can be difficult to keep attractive. Mr. O’Leary will comply with any comments made by the town engineers in regard to stamped concrete patterns, height of light poles, gooseneck lamps and reducing the size of the drive through window canopy.
Madge Fish asked if anyone in the audience had questions or comments. No one came forward to speak. Chris Costa, Enforcement Officer mentioned to the Commission members that they need to be sure the traffic engineer, town engineer, and fire marshal are
satisfied with the proposal by CVS Pharmacy. Patrick O’Leary stated that it was
important that all the town officials and the community were satisfied with the plans and granted an extension of time. Attorney Royston submitted an extension of the Public Hearing to 8/1/05.
C. SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION/COASTAL SITE PLAN REVIEW: Saybrook Country Barn
2 Main Street, Map 40/Lots 53-56, 59, 60 & 61-1, B-1, B-2 Districts
3549 s.f. addition to larger retail store; 6,544 s.f. addition to smaller retail store, including 85-seat restaurant, and additional parking; existing residential buildings will be demolished.
Applicant: 6 Main Street, LLC, LKK, LLC, Country Way Associates, LLC
(NLT 8/22/05)
Stuart Fairbanks, P.E., engineer for the applicant Keith Bowles, summarized the
proposed plans which will connect certain building structures to create a colonial village look. Many of the doors shown on the plans are “false doors” which add to the colonial style of the Post and Beam buildings. Customers will still enter the property from the original driveway and there will be additional parking spaces in the rear to accomodate the new retail space and restaurant.
Madge Fish asked for specific details involved in the planning of the restaurant. Mr. Fairbanks stated the restaurant will be a first floor, “open concept” floor plan with 85 seats. They will serve lunch, dinner and alcohol but will not be a nightclub or bar. The restaurant hours of operation will overlap with the retail hour of operation. The retail stores will open earlier than the restaurant, but the restaurant will stay open later than the retail stores. Mr. Fairbanks stated that the restaurant and the retail stores will share the parking spaces. They would like to pave the driveway area with “chip seal” which is the same material currently being used and looks like gravel. There will be no curbing.
Mr. Fairbanks discussed Attorney Mark Branse’s letter addressing the sites involved for development. The two sites should meet with all Zoning Regulations. Chris Costa asked the applicant to revise the “statement of use” and address specifics such as the actual restaurant hours, outdoor seating, table cloths, sit down or fast food style etc. Attorney Royston will provide an amended statement of use that will exclude the items mentioned; i.e., night club, drive through etc.
Madge Fish asks if any audience members would like to comment. No one came forward.
D. MODIFICATION OF SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION CZC 03-105
954 Middlesex Turnpike, Map 62//Lot 48, B-3 and AA-3 Districts
Inclusion of 1,460 s.f. building, originally designated for storage, for retail and office use, as well as its associated parking spaces.
Applicant: CSK Realty, LLC Agent: Atty. William Childress (NLT 8//22/05)
William Childress passed out revised plans and summarized the application. Attorney Childress stated that in 2003 the site housed a group of antique shops. The 2003 site plan identified the rear building as a storage facility. This application is to modify the 2003 special exception permit to include the rear building. Attorney Childress also mentioned the previous history on the property. In 1950 it was a car dealership, then it became an antique business. In the year 2000, Gregory Faucher, had another antique business in the three buildings. The Commission, at that time, did not consider the business use “abandoned” so it remained an antique business. Madge Fish reiterated to the Commission members, that previous history shows this site to
have been an established business in a residence zone.
Madge Fish asks the audience if anyone would like to make a comment in regard to this application. No one stepped forward to speak.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS:
A. SITE PLAN REVIEW: 108 Main Street, Map 37//Lot 103, B-1 District
Combine Lots 103, & 104 on Map 37; construct parking area on Lot 103 (16 spaces)
Applicant: Mainsay Corporation Agent: Atty. William Childress
Attorney Childress addressed the Commission members with the applicants
desire to install a parking lot. The current owner, David Rubin, would like to create additional parking as a convenience for a prospective tenant. They created 16 parking spaces, held separately and would like to merge them together.
Raymond Paier, P.E. for Westcott and Mapes, Inc. showed his proposed parking plan which corresponded with the State of Connecticut. He proposes a “one way” entrance location, exiting onto Dudley Avenue. There is a proposed 40’ x 12’ loading dock area. The applicant will surround the new parking lot with a vinyl fence or any other material the Commission advises. Mr. Paier would like to stripe 9 spaces on the street in front of the building and 16 spaces in the lot which would create a total of 25 parking spaces. One space will be handicap accessible and the area is flat. The parking area is currently paved asphalt and the applicant would like to continue using that material. Mr. Paier also mentioned that an underground reinforcement
slab will be installed over the septic system to strengthen and brace that area of the parking lot. There is no lighting proposed at this time.
Chris Costa mentiond to the Commission members that this plan has received a favorable response from Geoff Jacobson, engineer, Don Lucas, Building Inspector and the Health Department. Ms. Costa is still waiting for a review from the fire marshal.
IX. COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE & STAFF REPORTS
Chris Costa discussed the Montano Hartlands Drive ZBA Appeal, Oceanside Auto, Middlesex Turnpike, status of Carter Violation, Parkcrofters Lane.
X. ADJOURNMENT
Respectfully Submitted,
Andrea DeDominicis
Andrea DeDominicis, Recording Clerk
ATTACHMENT: Corrected Minutes for 7/5/05 Zoning meeting.
Roll Call: Add titles to the end of member names.
Elizabeth Steffen, Regular Member
Geraldine Lewis, Alternate Member
Paula Stuart, Regular Member
Charles Sohl, Alternate Member
*Correction to Roll Call sentence: Charles Sohl arrived at 8 pm; Geraldine Lewis was seated for Robert Friedmann at 7:45 pm.
III. *Correspondence Motion Box – Remove R. Friedmann name, and add P. Stuart name.
IV. PETTITION FOR PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS TO THE ZONING REGULATIONS OF THE TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK
*Add text information: Chairman Fish asked Attorney whether a “super majority” was needed. The answer was no. If “super majority” was needed, the application would be denied.
SITE PLAN REVIEW APPLICATION/COASTAL SITE PLAN REVIEW
*Correct Motion to Approve Box: Remove C. Sohl and add P. Stuart
COASTAL SITE PLAN REVEIW
*Correct Motion to Approve Box: Remove C. Sohl and add P. Stuart
DISCUSSION: POINTKOWSKI GRAVEL PIT
*Correct Motion to Approve Box: Remove C. Sohl and add P. Stuart
PUBLIC HEARINGS
SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION/COASTAL SITE PLAN REVIEW - CVS
*Correct Motion to Continue Box: Remove C. Sohl and add P. Stuart
SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION – page 5 – St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran
Church.
*P. Stuart stepped down. G. Lewis seated.
*Correct Motion to Approve Box – St. Paul’s Church- Remove W. Harris and add G.
Lewis.
SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION
*G. Lewis stepped down, P. Stuart resumed her seat.
SITE PLAN REVIEW
*Correct Motion to Continue Box – add space between “continue” and “the”
*Remove C. Sohl and add P. Stuart.
ADJOURNMENT -
*Meeting ended at 11:30 pm.
*Correct Motion to Adjourn Box – Remove C. Sohl and add P. Stuart
*Minutes were not signed by clerk. They should be signed by Kate Hoey.
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