TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
DRAFT MINUTES
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012, 7:30 PM
REGULAR MEETING / MADDEN ROOM
MEMBERS PRESENT: Patrick Kennedy, William Carroll, Viney Wilson, Kevin Foley, Elizabeth Kuehnel
ALTERNATES PRESENT: William Butter, Stephanie Dexter
STAFF PRESENT: Michele Lipe, Town Planner; Lauren Zarambo, Recording Secretary
APPLICATIONS TO BE OFFICIALLY RECEIVED:
1. Jason Golub dba Synergy LLC – request for a two year temporary and conditional permit to allow a personal training studio in his home, on property located at 628 Foster Street, RR zone
REGULAR MEETING / MADDEN ROOM
Chairman Kennedy called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
None
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Meeting with Heidi Samokar, from Planimetrics to review the draft of Booklet 4: Conservation Topics for the Update to the Plan of Conservation and Development (continued discussion from 3/27/12) and discuss Route 5 and Town Center
Ms. Samokar began the working meeting with a focus on Planimetrics Booklet 4 going over Historic Resources and Main Street, the Town Center and Route 5 using graphics to frame the discussion.
Historic resources come from three types of designations. A district or a building can be placed on the national register of historic places, the state register or a local district. A local designation provides the strongest level of protection over what happens to buildings in a historic district. It is not up to the town or commissions to adopt historic districts but up to a majority of the property owners. Historic districts statistically add property value to houses. Main Street is a unique asset to South Windsor. The challenge lies in balancing preservation of historic properties and landscape with the rights of the property owners, creating public awareness and support to protect the town’s resources and finally the challenge of keeping historic properties livable and usable.
Ms Samokar presented a build-out analysis of Main Street showing the current zoning and developable land. She estimated that somewhere around 270 new housing units could fit in this district depending on the ability of the land to support septic systems if sewers were not available. A characteristic of Main Street is not only the architecture but the openness of the landscape. If the future vision for this area of South Windsor is not in line with what current zoning allows rezoning could be an option as well as land preservation becoming a priority to preserve the open space. Commissioners Carroll and Foley replied rezoning might be a good option. Ms. Samokar spoke about three zoning approaches, the gentlest being an overlay zone to incorporate additional standards such as setbacks, a middle approach being cluster
development where all housing is contained to one area with the intention of preserving open vistas and the third, most effective, being down-zoning to reduce density. Commissioner Foley noted the necessity of putting a plan into action to prepare for inevitable future development. Chairman Kennedy discussed the ‘gentler approach’ of an overlay zone with additional standards and the increase of lot sizes. Ms. Samokar stated the plan should layout the strategy and the key could be to downzone parcels to two acres and that this process would require property owner involvement. The overall goal or policy for this area is to create protective land use patterns while balancing the owner’s property rights. She also described an open market approach effective when the majority of land is owned by one property owner called a transfer of development rights program wherein the development rights to land needing protection are transferred to another area with the right to
develop it more intensely instead.
Approaches to protecting historic resources include 1) educate and inform by putting plaques on buildings or streets, making nominations to state or national registries, creating a formal inventory of structures or/and having events with regular publicity; 2) provide incentives or assistance by offering design advise, offering zoning incentives for owners to maintain their buildings as in provisions which extend the life of older buildings such as when they are converted to offices while maintaining historic facades and/or allowing the town to become the local certified government providing greater access for grants and creating tax incentives for those living in older homes; 3) to adopt regulations or restrictions as in demolition delay ordinances and designating additional historic districts or a village
district; and 4) the purchase or ownership of historic properties. Commissioner Carroll discussed Village District options, Commissioner Foley brought up town ownership for properties and Planner Lipe discussed demolition delay ordinances.
Ms Samokar presented a map of the Town Center and noted it already a destination where people gather for business and commerce with the Town Hall, library, church and major grocery store already in place, housing nearby and new construction underway. Discussion followed about the center green area with its gazebo, a true remnant of the original town center. The area has elements of pedestrian friendliness with signage and some sidewalks. There are not however crosswalks or sidewalks everywhere. Planner Lipe brought up existent CRCOG funding for sidewalks and putting it into place. Commissioners discussed Evergreen Walk being more of a natural gathering place especially when concerts occur. In looking at the future, Planner Lipe brought up the construction of the medical building potentially spurring redevelopment of the
area over time. Ms. Samokar discussed creating the physical appearance of a town center by reinforcing the brand of calling the area the Town Center by the Chamber of Commerce, the town’s website and businesses. The advantage of the Stop & Shop plaza already using the name Town Center was not missed. The use of banners and a community sign can go a long way in effective branding. Encouraging more outdoor use and vitality of the area can be done with benches, picnic tables and outdoor dining.
The POCD plan needs to identify the vision of what uses, scale, amenities, outdoor space, and development patterns are to be included in the center which will then set a framework to provide incentives to business owners to make improvements and redevelop their properties in the vision intended. Zoning can be updated with the possibility of creating a new town center district, or an overlay zone where property owners can opt in to redevelop or to adjust zoning provisions to address setbacks to create a town center feel. Possibilities may exist in creating a new connecting main street through the area which might ultimately link in the direction of Evergreen Walk.
Route 5 was shown as the business corridor of the town on another graphic. The four zones in the area, Industrial, General Commercial, Restricted Commercial and Restricted Office, have different set back requirements creating a scattered unorganized look. A solution moving forward is to have consistent setbacks which can make a huge positive impact. The idea of allowing industrial uses in a commercial zone was posed by Ms. Samokar. Agreement was made to not lose any industrial land. Consideration was given to allowing some commercial at each major intersection. General commercial vs. restricted commercial zones were discussed by Chairman Kennedy. Planner Lipe discussed the idea of creating an overlay zone for the northern section of Route 5 where larger residential lots exist which might allow a step up from a Home
Occupation use.
The appearance of Route 5 is affected by the commercial signage on the right of way as well as DOT traffic signage. A request can be made to DOT to request the minimum traffic signage necessary. Vehicle storage impacts the appearance where vehicle for sale signs are common on the right of way. One free standing sign on a property is allowed by zoning but no off site signs are allowed. Signs on the right of way are illegal over which DOT has jurisdiction and can be contacted for enforcement. Whether DOT has a standard for the guard rails on the medium was questioned. Ms. Samokar suggested a DOT upgrade to rusted metal guardrails which turn the color brown over time but that no guardrails would be the ideal. Commissioner Carroll brought up the Merritt Parkway’s use of trees with their guardrails. Loan programs for
tree plantings on properties were mentioned. Smaller curb cuts were also suggested as redevelopment occurs. Planner Lipe recalled a beautification program that had been set up by the Chamber of Commerce which had once been affective. Ms. Samokar closed her presentation stating she would do additional research on the ideas which resonated with the commission which will be integrated into a bigger development booklet looking at the strategy to address town wide issues for the June meeting.
BONDS:
None
MINUTES:
The minutes dated 4-24-12 were approved by consensus.
OTHER BUSINESS:
None
ADJOURNMENT:
Commissioner Wilson made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Kuehnel seconded the motion. The motion carried and the vote was unanimous. Chairman Kennedy closed the meeting ending at 9:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lauren L Zarambo
Recording Secretary
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