Planning and Zoning Commission
40 Old Farms Road Willington, CT 06279
September 9, 2013 – 7:30 PM
Special Meeting Workshop Minutes
Roll Call
Members Present
Andrew Marco
Edward Standish- Co-Chairman
Thomas Murphy – Secretary
J. Sullivan
Walter Parsell
Phil Nevers
Doug Roberts – Alternate
Members Absent:
James Poole - excused
Also Present:
Susan Yorgensen – Planner/Zoning Agent
Workshop
PZC2013-3 Application for Zone Change from R80 zone to Design Commercial (DC) zone at 00 Polster Road & 3 Polster Road & 00 Polster Road (Map 46 Lots 16 & 17) Owner: Joseph & Frank Malack/ Applicant: Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores (Received February 19, 2013 Public Hearing April 16, 2013 continued to May 7, 2013, May 21, 2013, June 4, 2013, June 18, 2013 – extension granted /Decision by September 17, 2013.)
PZC2013-4 Application for Special Permit for motor vehicle fuel sales, tire repair and replacement, retail trade and two restaurants (Travel Stop) at 00 Polster Road & 3 Polster Road (Map 46 Lots 16 & 17) Owner: Joseph & Frank Malack / Applicant: Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores (Received February 19, 2013 Public Hearing April 16, 2013 continued to May 7, 2013, May 21, 2013, June 4, 2013, June 18, 2013 ~– extension granted /Decision by September 17, 2013.)
T. Murphy and W. Parsell said they have listened to the tapes on the meetings they missed.
Chairman Marco read the Criteria for Decision document.
13.05.01, Complete Application; A. Marco said the application is complete.
13.05.02, Compliance with Regulations, A. Marco said the Commission needs to determine if the application conforms to the regulations. He added that it has gone through the IWWC.
13.05.03, Frontage Improvement; A. Marco said access and egress were areas of concern. S. Yorgensen said frontage may not be the same thing.
13.05.04, Traffic Access; A. Marco questioned the portion that states No driveway onto a public street shall exceed 30 feet in width and added they would want greater than 30 feet. S. Yorgensen said it also said State guidelines shall apply.
13.05.06, Sanitary Waste Disposal Plans, A. Marco said they do have evidence the test pits were acceptable as it was part of the waste disposal plan. A discussion was held on the sloping and A. Marco said he believes the terracing will eliminate the sloping.
A discussion was held on 13.05.07, Erosion, Sediment and Runoff Control Standards. A. Marco said there was testimony that they did meet the requirements. S. Yorgensen said the engineers have taken a look at this and given their feedback.
13.05.08, Wetland and Watercourse Protection, A. Marco said there was quite a bit of talk about tributaries. S. Yorgensen said they meet the regulations although some people believe the applicant did not. She added that the applicant’s soil scientist also said the plan met the regulations.
13.05.09, Surface and Groundwater Protection; A. Marco said Fuss & O’Neill had their hydrologist speak to this.
13.05.10, Water Supply; A. Marco said they are not served by a water company as yet.
Discussion was held on 13.05.12, Appropriate of Use and a discussion was held. Further discussion was held on commercial areas in town and the guidelines set out in the PoCD.
13.05.12.01, shall be such as to be in harmony with the appropriate and orderly development; E. Standish said for this he would refer to the PoCD and a discussion was held. A. Marco questioned if the zone change was approved, would it make the Harrison property more valuable. E. Standish said it could increase commercial value and decrease residential value. W. Parsell said they have to consider the residential properties as well.
A discussion was held on 13.05.12.02. W. Parsell said their weapon is signage. A. Marco said the trucks would not be on town roads for long.
A discussion was held on 13.05.12.04. W. Parsell said idling trucks could pose a problem. T. Murphy said Connecticut laws are very restrictive and they cannot idle for more than 3 minutes unless there is an animal in the truck. S. Yorgensen said they do not have overnight facilities and do not encourage long term parking. J. Sullivan added the application is for 2 restaurants and a store.
Chairman Marco read 13.05.12.06 and said the applicant has met the architectural character but is aware that J. Sullivan is concerned about the intensity of use. A discussion was held on the slopes and A. Marco said he believes the applicant said the terracing will eliminate the slopes.
A discussion was held on 13.05.12.08. A. Marco said schools are not an issue. A discussion was held on plowing the streets in the area.
Chairman Marco read 13.05.12.09 and commented on the correspondence; there are two conflicting letters from WINCOG signed by the same person. The letter dated Nov 5, 2009 states there will be no negative impacts and the letter dated April 3, 2013 said there may be negative impacts. W. Parsell questioned why they did an about face. A discussion was held on the stone walls on the site. T. Murphy questioned if they can request to have the applicant put the stone walls back after construction. J. Sullivan said the walls are valuable, historic and natural resources. E. Standish said, in normal circumstances, they do not have recourse. W. Parsell questioned what is done in a subdivision in regards to the walls and further discussion was held.
A discussion was held on sidewalks. A. Marco said sidewalks along Polster Road could be one of the conditions.
Chairman Marco read 13.05.13, Architectural Character, Historic Preservation, Site Design and said, from what he saw, the features seem to fit.
D. Roberts brought up the turn lane and a discussion held.
A discussion was held on the pathway and whether or not the applicant has an area for dogs. A. Marco said they can make conditions based on the regulations. D. Roberts said they are only proposing a stone screened walk.
A discussion was held on 13.05.14.05, No outside storage of materials, products or refuse shall be permitted unless specifically authorized by the Commission. A discussion was held on the tire operation. E. Standish asked if the tires have to be stored inside and S. Yorgensen said yes.
Chairman Marco said 13.05.15 does not apply to this application and S. Yorgensen said 13.05.16, Compliance with Preliminary Site Development and Land Use Concept Plan, would apply if the zone change is approved.
Further discussion was held on traffic access and appropriate of use.
W. Parsell read 13.05.12.01. E. Standish said there is 1 adjacent parcel that is designed commercial and 1 being used in a commercial capacity. The commission looked at the zone map and a discussion was held on commercial areas. A. Marco asked the Commission if they think the size and intensity of the proposed use is appropriate. T. Murphy, E. Standish, P. Nevers and W. Parsell said they do and A. Marco said he is on the fence.
A discussion was held on parking. S. Yorgensen said TA has 200 spaces for trucks and Love’s is proposing 56.
A discussion was held on the traffic impact study. D. Roberts said more people will stop at this truck stop because it is more visible. A discussion was held on gas prices.
T. Murphy said Fuss & O’Neill stated the applicant will supplement snow removal. J. Sullivan said, on a side note, Love’s will have showers.
The Commission went back to 13.05.12.01. W. Parsell questioned what would happen to the parcel if the application gets shot down. A. Marco said they could clear cut it and sit on it. A discussion was held on the surrounding design commercial and design industrial areas and the Commission looked at the Town of Willington Zoning Map. A discussion was held on various developments on the sides of the highways; in rural areas without public water and sewers, you are likely to see trucks stops and fast food restaurants.
W. Parsell said the PoCD spells out the areas along the I84 corridor and A. Marco said they certainly have been told by the public to follow the PoCD. J. Sullivan added that it is only a guide. E. Standish said they have to take it into account and J. Sullivan added, among other things. E. Standish said 13.05.12.01 is a concern with the proposal and questioned if Polster Road has the capacity to accommodate traffic. D. Roberts said you could have 60 vehicles an hour. P. Nevers said he believes the road was designed to handle the traffic. S. Yorgensen said the Land use engineer and the Selectmen’s engineer looked at the traffic and both made recommendations. J. Sullivan said, logically, it doesn’t seem to make sense; 2 exits for trucks going out onto a
26 foot road. Discussion was held on trucks making wide turns and the Commission looked at CR108.
W. Parsell said tandem trucks are shown on the plans. P. Nevers said they cannot park and S. Yorgensen added they can go for fuel. E. Standish asked if they could request an additional easement to widen the road even more than shown and S. Yorgensen said, because of the wetlands on the other side, she thinks it might have been an issue with IWWC. E. Standish suggested adding a turn lane if possible.
A discussion was held on conditions. A. Marco said two that he has heard so far are concrete sidewalks and reconstructing the stone walls. E. Standish said a fieldstone wall is shown of the plans.
A discussion was held on the voting process and placing conditions. A. Marco asked the Commission to compile conditions and email them to S. Yorgensen. S. Yorgensen said she would suggest incorporate the wetlands conditions.
Meeting adjourned,
Michele Manas
Recording Clerk
| 
