MEMBERS PRESENT: Patrick Kennedy, Bart Pacekonis, David Sorenson, Mario Marrero, Elizabeth Kuehnel, William Carroll and Viney Wilson
ALTERNATES PRESENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Michele Lipe, Town Planner
PUBLIC HEARING/COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
APPLICATIONS TO BE OFFICIALLYRECEIVED:
Appl. 11-10P, S.W. CT Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Inc. – request for a site plan modification for minor site improvements including addition of a canopy, 24 space parking lot and one acre solar field, on property located at 640 Burnham Street, RR and RR-O zone
Appl. 11-12P, J.E.M.’s Garden and Dairy Barn, LLC – request for a special exception to 3.1.1A and site plan approval for a farm stand including a dairy barn on property located at 1062 Pleasant Valley Road, RR zone
Appl. 11-13P, Glenn Huot dba G.H. Huot Company – request for a Department of Motor Vehicle General Repairer’s license for equipment repairs on property located at 317 Chapel, CD zone
Appl. 11-14P, Julie's Barks & Bubbles LLC – request for renewal of a two-year temporary and conditional permit to operate a doggie daycare and grooming business on property located at 1678 Ellington Road, RC zone
PUBLIC HEARING-COUNCIL CHAMBERS
- Appl. 11-13P, Glenn Huot dba G.H. Huot Company – request for a Department of Motor Vehicle General Repairer’s license for equipment repairs on property located at 317 Chapel, CD zone
Glenn Huot, owner of G.H. Huot Company presented the application.
Lipe gave the following Planning report.
Request for site plan approval for a DMV General Repairers license to operate an equipment repair business, approx. 3,200 sf, in the building at 317 Chapel Road, I-291 Corridor Development zone. The applicant has highlighted on the map the area that would be the subject to his lease. He has indicated that all work will be conducted inside the building or off-site.
No improvements are proposed on the site. No signage is proposed on site. The building currently has no waste water drainage system, therefore would not require WPCA approval.
This site is currently owned by Eastern Construction Company and they operate in the remainder of the building.
Questions staff have include:
What are the hours of operation?
Are there any new dumpster proposed? If so, they must be placed on a concrete pad and screened.
If this application is approved, the planning department has no additional comments.
There was no public participation.
Commissioners asked if customers would be driving up to the facility and if the facility had enough parking to accommodate the customers.
The applicants responded yes.
The public hearing for this item closed at 7:35 PM.
- Appl. 11-12P, J.E.M.’s Garden and Dairy Barn, LLC – request for a special exception to Table 3.1.1A and site plan approval for a farm stand including a dairy barn on property located at 1062 Pleasant Valley Road, RR zone
Peter DeMallie, Principal and president of Design Professional presented the application as follows.
DeMallie presented an aerial photo to the commission to show the property where the proposed dairy barn would be located. The applicant has been operating JEMS since 1993 and is proposing to add the sale of ice cream. She would like to keep the sale of produce, flowers, fruit pies, trees, wreaths and pumpkins as seasonal items. The applicant currently has a 14X 24 on the property that she will use to sell the ice cream. She will also have picnic tables for customers.
The Town engineer recommended that the proposed driveway apron be extended in further; the applicant has no objection to that. He suggested that wheel stops be installed, the applicant is proposing on the south side only that would prevent any one form going on to the grass. There is a stone dust path that goes all the way from both sides of Clark Street to the mail box area of the applicant’s property.
As part of the proposal and as part of the recommendations of Lt. Bond the applicant is proposing to extend that stone dust pathway so that pedestrians can make it all the way to the applicant’s farm and ice cream stand. The town sanitarian has recommended a new septic system just for the ice cream stand use. The Engineers did soil testing on the site and the septic system is proposed behind the shed on the left of the house lot. The applicant is proposing to install one light fixture and will have gravel parking lot. The driveway apron will be extended to the end of the first parking space. The handicap parking will be a black top surface. LT Bond was concerned that their may be additional pedestrian traffic along Pleasant Valley Road.
Town staff recommended that a cross walk be installed. With the installation of cross walks comes the question of how much improvement is necessary and the how costly it would be for the applicant to complete these improvements. The town engineer is recommending that the applicant install 4 concrete handicap ramps at all ends of the crosswalks which are about $1,000 each to be installed. The engineer is concerned about erosion and the maintenance of it. There is currently only one crosswalk on Pleasant Valley Road at the Veterans Memorial pool and it is painted there are no handicap ramps or sidewalks.
A packet with letters0 of support a petition and the proposed sign design were submitted for the record (Exhibit A-K)
Lipe had a Planning report as follows.
- Application for special exception to table to Table 3.1.1A and site plan approval for a farm stand on property on the northerly side of Pleasant Valley Road, westerly of Clark Street (1062 Pleasant Valley Road), RR zone. A farm stand by our zoning definition is a permanent retail outlet on a farm, including green houses incidental thereto, for the sale of seasonal products normally associated with farm store.
- The applicant is proposing to add the sale of ice cream, milk shakes etc and other flower type arrangement. There is an outside display area depicted on the plans.
- The underlying zone is RR zone. Minimum lot size is 5 acre; 1 acre provided however the applicant is meeting the 5 acre requirement with the farming of properties in the vicinity. Front yard setback is 50 feet.
- Special exception criteria in residential zones include:
- Sales of seasonal products normally associated with a farm store are allowed (90% of which shall be fresh farm produce of garden-related products, such as fresh fruits or vegetables, Christmas trees, wreaths, shrubs, pumpkins, potted flowers, and the like). Landscaping material, such as lawn ornaments, bricks stone, etc., shall not be stored of sold on-site.
- A farm stand shall have permanent retail farm buildings with an attractive, rural, barn-like appearance.
- Site screening must be installed when required
- Commission approval is required for outdoor storage of items offered for sale that are grown or acquired off site (such as fertilizer, peat moss, etc)
- No activity is conducted that is hazardous or dangerous to persons or property outside of the lot on which the activity is conducted.
- Other general requirements include: no more than one vehicular access point (i.e., curb out) shall be allowed along the street frontage and vehicular parking and circulation shall be provided with gravel, bituminous concrete or other all-weather surface. The entrance drive shall contain a bituminous concrete apron. Parking is allowed within yards, provided such location does not pose a safety hazard of obscure sight line.
- Specific site improvements proposed with this application include: a canopy extending out from the existing structure; the installation of 15 space gravel parking lot with a single point of access; extension of the stone dust path along the frontage of this property which will be an extension of the path currently existing to the east; a single light in front of the structure and a dumpster pad with screening.
A portable pop tent is shown less than 10 feet from the front property line along Pleasant Valley Road. We would request that the applicant relocate that tent further back on the property so that the passing motorist will not be tempted to pull over along the side of Pleasant Valley Road rather than entering the site.
7 The structure will be serviced by water and septic system. Sherry Roy, the town’s Environmental Health Officer will have to approve the septic design as well as the review the layout within the building and inspect before the sale of any products.
8 Permitted signs are those permitted in the underlying zone for permitted non-residential uses. The applicant would be allowed 32 sf.
9. Lt. Bond of the Police Services has reviewed the application and has made the following recommendations:
Lipe read the following comments from LT. Bond. Lt. Bond indicated that if the stand stays at status quo as far as traffic volume is concerned, he would have no concerns. If however the ice cream portion proves to be a large draw for both pedestrian (4 condominium complexes within 1/3 mile) and vehicular traffic then he sees a problem. The width of the roadway is not conducive to parked vehicles, through traffic and pedestrian traffic. There are no sidewalks in place, no crosswalks at the Pleasant Valley/Clark intersection. That intersection has a relatively significant accident history, including some with serious injuries and fatalities.
Lipe read the Engineering report into the record.
- I have discussed this application with Lt Bond of the SWPD and he is concerned about the safety of pedestrians walking to the proposed ice cream stand. There are currently no concrete sidewalk along Pleasant Valley Road or Clark Street and there are no crosswalks at the intersection of these two roads. There is a stone dust path in front of Burr Meadow Condominiums. To improve safety for pedestrians crossing the intersection of Pleasant Valley Road and Clark Street, 2 crosswalks, 4 concrete ramps, advance warning signs and increased lighting should be considered for this intersection.
- More information needs to be provided on connecting the proposed stone dust path to the existing path on property of Burr Meadow Condominiums and the transition between these two paths
- The proposed stone dust path runs through or right up against the front of 3 maple trees along the front of this property. Construction of this path will impact these trees. The applicant should consider removing these trees or moving the stone dust path behind the trees to avoid damage to the trees.
- The proposed stone dust path needs to be separated from the roads by a grass strip that is at least 4 feet wide.
- Wheel stops should be provided in the parking spaces to prevent cars from parking on the stone dust path, grass or driving in and out of the parking area without using the driveway.
- The Bituminous driveway apron needs to extend at least 20 feet from the existing edge of road, and these limits clearly shown on the plans.
There was public participation in favor of the application as follows.
Colleen Boken, resident of Westage is in favor of the application doesn’t see any problems with the addition of the ice cream.
Erin Dutton, resident of Westage, is in favor of the application.
Resident of Pleasant Valley is in favor of the application. She has purchased produce from Jems.
Louise Neary, 1017 Ellington spoke in favor of the application.
The correspondence in favor of the application was read into the record. (Exhibit 1 & 2)
Commissioners had comments and questions as follows. Responses will be in italics.
- Commissioners agreed that they would support the sale of ice cream at Jem’s if the necessary improvements were made to ensure that it was pedestrian friendly.
- Commissioners agreed that their needs to be safe access on to the property and agreed with the recommendations from Lt. Bond and the town engineering in order to secure the safety of the citizens.
- Commissioners asked if it was a State law to add the cement handicap ramps
Lipe responded that it was not required if there are no sidewalks in place.
- Commissioners did not feel it would be necessary to have handicap ramps that would go to grass
Lipe mentioned staff recommended handicap ramps due to the increase traffic that the project would bring and provide a safe spot for pedestrian.
- Commissioners agreed that a crosswalk was necessary wherever pedestrian activity is occurring, it would guide people on where it is safe to cross and a safe harbor is needed for handicap individuals.
The public hearing closed at 8:43 PM.
REGULAR MEETING – MADDEN ROOM
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: None
- Appl. 11-13P, Glenn Huot dba G.H. Huot Company – request for a Department of Motor Vehicle General Repairer’s license for equipment repairs on property located at 317 Chapel, CD zone
Pacekonis made a motion to approve the above mentioned application with the following conditions.
- This approval is for a general repairer’s license for G.H. Huot Co.
- Pavement markings must be maintained in good condition throughout the site drives and parking.
- All free standing signs and/or building signs require the issuance of a sign permit before hey are erected
Carroll seconded the motion. The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
- Appl. 11-12P, J.E.M.’s Garden and Dairy Barn, LLC – request for a special exception to Table 3.1.1A and site plan approval for a farm stand including a dairy barn on property located at 1062 Pleasant Valley Road, RR zone
Pacekonis made a motion to approve the above mentioned application with conditions the following conditions.
- No building permit will be issued until the final mylars have been filed in the Town Clerk's office.
- An as-built plan is required prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy per Section 8.1.11 of the Zoning Regulations.
- All plans used in the field by the developer must bear the stamp and authorized signature of the Town of South Windsor.
- Septic system and/or private well final design(s) must be submitted to and approved by the Environmental Health Officer prior to filing of mylars and issuance of building permits.
- Pavement markings must be maintained in good condition throughout the site drives and parking areas.
- All free standing signs and/or building signs require the issuance of a sign permit before they are erected.
- Engineering comments dated 5/10/11 must be addressed to the Town Engineer’s satisfaction with the exception of the concrete ramps on the intersection.
The pop up tent must be moved further back on the property.
Kuehnel seconded the motion. The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
- Update of Planning and Zoning Commission Bylaws Article V
Kuehnel made a motion to approve the above mentioned request. Wilson seconded the motion. The motion carried and the vote was unanimous. (See attached updated Bylaws)
- Preliminary discussion with John Melonopoulos, JM Consulting Services regarding elderly housing apartments
John Melonopoulos, JM Consulting Services discussed the proposed plans for elderly housing on West Road across from the new fire house. The minimum age for resident of the proposed development is 62. The proposal is for 50 units and 38 parking spaces, 40 % of the residents have vehicles. The proposed entrance is on West Road. The developer is trying to get federal funding for the project and would not come before the commission with a formal application until the funding is approved.
Commissioners questioned how many units are proposed and how many parking spaces.
The applicant is proposing 50 units and 38 parking spaces.
Lipe mentioned that some parts of the regulations may need to be modified to include the housing authority as the applicant.
The applicant requested a letter from the Commission stating that if the project was funded the Commission would consider it.
Kennedy mentioned that it would require an application for a zone change and special exceptions.
- Discussion regarding the proposed changes to the Buckland Gateway Development Zone Multifamily Regulations
Pacekonis gave an update of the Buckland Gateway Committee meetings. The committee had an opportunity to take a closer look at the regulations and do a SWAT analysis.
The goal was to have a mix use development that would still give us commercial and residential not necessarily having the commercial on the bottom.
Lipe mentioned that the intent was how the developer would meet the 2-1 ratio. If the commercial is not completed there could be some bonding put in place to ensure that it gets completed.
Commissioners agreed to have a hearing on the proposed amendment tentatively scheduled in June. A notice will be sent to CRCOG as required.
BONDS:
Pacekonis made a motion to release the landscaping bond for Appl. 08-28P, Colonial Point Christian Church in the amount of $5,000. Kuehnel seconded the motion. The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
Pacekonis made a motion to reduce the landscaping bond in the amount of $3,000 by $2,500 leaving a balance of $500 for Appl. 08-49P, Burnham Brook Stables.
MINUTES:
The minutes dated 4-12-2011 were approved by consensus with minor corrections.
OTHER BUSINESS:
ADJOURNMENT:
Pacekonis made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Wilson seconded the motion. The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
The meeting ended at 9:37 PM.
Respectfully submitted
PZC approved 6/14/11
D. Maria Acevedo
Recording Secretary
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