Town of Groton, Connecticut Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes Office of Planning and Development Services Town Hall Annex 134 Groton Long Point Road Groton, CT 06340 860-446-5970 Tuesday, November 13, 2018 7:00 PM Town Hall Annex - Community Room 2 Chair Chair Jeffrey C. Pritchard Vice Chair Vice Chair Members Member Member Member I. ROLL CALL I.1. Roll Call Chairman Pritchard called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members Present: Pritchard, Kane, Steinford, Zod, Tarbox Staff Present: Jones, Glemboski, Zanarini, Hovland II. PUBLIC HEARINGS III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES III.1. October 23, 2018 MOTION: To adopt the minutes of October 23, 2018 as written. Moved by: Kane, Michael D. Seconded by: Steinford, Margil L. Jeffrey C. Pritchard APPROVED IV. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS IV.1. Public Communications - None. V. SUBDIVISIONS VI. SITE PLANS Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 1 Printed on 12/06/2018
VI.1. SIT18-05 - Groton Bible Chapel, 66 Toll Gate Road Norm Thibault of Killingly Engineering represented Groton Bible Chapel (GBC) and discussed the history of the building and site. Due to the growing number of members of the congregation, GBC is proposing a new 15,000 sqft building that meets all zoning regulations for height and setback. All proposed building areas are previously disturbed areas; no trees need to be taken down. Two residential structures and 14 parking spaces are to be removed to make room for the proposed building. Pavement will be reduced by 800 sqft, but impervious surface area will increase due to the building. An existing grassed parking area will be improved with gravel. This will create a net increase of 29 parking spaces; 322 parking spaces are required and 351 parking spaces will be provided. Internal sidewalks are included and the three driveways will not be changed. The traffic authority had no comment. Staff noted comments from Public Works requesting the installation of a concrete frontage sidewalk to replace the stone dust walk. A large portion of the property is wetlands and they received approval from Inland Wetland Agency to construct the parking lot. The Water Resource Protection District (WRPD) stormwater requirements are met; GBC stated they do not use salt, sand, or chemicals for ice and snow in the winter. Drainage is located in the eastern portion of the site which includes catch basins that discharge to an existing stormwater basin. The rate of runoff discharge will not increase with the proposed project. MOTION: To approve site plan application (SIT18-05) for a new worship center and expanded parking lot subject to the following findings and conditions: 1. The re-designed parking lot within the area of disturbance shall be landscaped in accordance with Section 7.4-5 of the Zoning Regulations. 2. The existing pervious (gravel) walkway at the southeast portion of the lot shall be revised to an impervious walkway, or other hard surface as approved by Public Works. 3. All technical items as raised by staff shall be addressed on the final site plan. Moved by: Pritchard, Jeffrey C. Seconded by: Kane, Michael D. Jeffrey C. Pritchard GRANTED VI.2. SIT18-06 - 255 Route 12 Commercial Redevelopment, 255 Route 12 Gregg Fedus of Fedus Engineering and Peter Springsteel, architect, presented the 255 Route 12 Commercial Redevelopment application to demolish the existing structures and build three new commercial buildings. The new buildings will total 19,600 sqft and will be used as a liquor store, fast food restaurant, drive-up ATM, and retail store. The proposed buildings meet all zoning regulations for height and setback. The lot is located in the WRPD Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 2 Printed on 12/06/2018
zone and is surrounded by three roads. It has two access points; one of which will be moved to make it easier for cars to exit. The traffic authority had no comment. The existing impervious surface area will be maintained at 73% with pervious sidewalks. No salt will be used in the parking lot. All runoff goes to an underground infiltration system at the front of the building and a 250 gallon Stormceptor unit. Two variances have been granted by the ZBA to allow a driveway in the Pleasant Valley Road South front yard and a reduction in landscaping along the Route 12 frontage. Trees will be 35' apart instead of 50' because they are smaller trees. Zod stated that significantly larger trees should be included anywhere they can be. Kane expressed concern about Serviceberry trees lining the parking lot due to berries dropping on cars as well as drawing birds to the area. Fedus agreed to propose a different tree species. There will be 65 parking spaces provided. Zod stated that a connector sidewalk from the southeast corner of the lot to Route 12 is important and presented a Google Maps image as reference. Fedus agreed to add the frontage sidewalk connector. Tarbox expressed concern regarding the appearance of the building from Pleasant Valley Road South and asked that the façade be enhanced by adding windows to the back of the building. Springsteel said he will discuss the idea with the owner. MOTION: To approve site plan application (SIT18-06) for a new 19,600 square foot 2- story commercial building, a 672 square foot fast-food building, and a 700 square foot ATM/maintenance storage building subject to the following findings and conditions: 1. The approved variances allow for drive-through lanes in the front yard and reduction of required 10-foot landscaping strip at the front lot line to 5 feet, and a reduction of the required 5-foot landscaping strip along the building frontage to 2 feet. 2. Any additional signage not shown in the site plan will submitted to the building department for review and approval. 3. An internal sidewalk shall be added at the northeast corner of the property near Route 12 in conformance with Section 7.5-4 of the Zoning Regulations. 4. A frontage sidewalk shall be added to the southeast corner of the property along Pleasant Valley Road South and an easement granted to the Town for the sidewalk in conformance with Section 7.5-2 of the Zoning Regulations. 5. All technical items as raised by staff shall be addressed on the final site plan. The Commission recommends that the building façade on the side facing Pleasant Valley Road South be enhanced. Moved by: Pritchard, Jeffrey C. Seconded by: Zod, Hal Jeffrey C. Pritchard Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 3 Printed on 12/06/2018
GRANTED VI.3. SIT18-07 - Groton Consolidated Middle School, 0 and 35 Groton Long Point Road Kemp Morhardt of SLAM presented the proposed 155,000 sqft school designed for 950 students. The academic wing is four stories tall and built into the slope of the existing topography. Darrin Overton with Milone and Macbroom presented existing condition aerials. The lot is 44.19 acres and is located in an RS-20 zone. The site is two times larger than required by zoning regulations for a 950 student school and meets the setback requirements. The project has been granted variances by the Zoning Board of Appeals for landscaping and height and has obtained Zoning Commission approval for the height and utility screening and Inland Wetland Agency approval. There are three areas of wetlands on the site. It is not in a CAM zone or a water resource protection district. Impervious lot coverage is 18%. Underground stormwater storage will be located beneath the parking lot and the discharge point is a plunge pool down the hill which will sheet flow into the wetlands. Conditions of the IWA permit have yet to be incorporated into the plans. Dave Sullivan, Traffic Engineer with Milone and Macbroom, presented that there are three construction phases planned and discussed traffic access. The entrance of the parking lot is through the Fitch High School parking lot and the bus drop off loop supports 24 buses. Parent drop-off access is mainly from the Grasso Tech drive. Connecting the school drives means schools can share buses if necessary. Separating buses from parent drop offs will cut down on traffic conflicts on the site. Jason Moorhouse, Landscape Architect with Milone and Macbroom, presented that shade trees will be planted along both sides of the access ways, bus entrance, and parking lots. Ornamental and flowering trees will be planted in the front of the building and a rock garden will be added near the athletic fields. They will be supplementing the existing evergreen trees along the property line between the school and the church with more red cedars and making the existing rock wall taller to 6' using rocks taken from the site. Pritchard expressed concern over the height and possible instability of the proposed wall and the Commission stated that conditions will need to be applied. There are three proposed natural grass athletic fields. Kane questioned the orientation of the baseball field to the setting sun. The field is facing east and it was explained that due to the wetlands it is difficult to alter the orientation of the field. Staff will have Parks & Recreation look at the plan and make a determination. Zod stated that there should be a side walk connected from the athletic fields to the main entrance area. No final action is requested at this meeting. The Commission continued the meeting to December 11 th, 2018. VII. OLD BUSINESS VII.1 Old Business - None VIII. NEW BUSINESS Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 4 Printed on 12/06/2018
VIII.1. VIII.2. Referrals Stonington Referral for Public Hearing on December 4, 2018 - Zoning Regulation Amendment regarding Accessory Dwelling Units The Commission had no comment. VIII.3. Stonington Referral for Public Hearing on December 4, 2018 - Zoning Regulation Amendment to modify the Flood Hazard Overlay District Regulations The Commission had no comment. VIII.4. Report of Commission The Commission asked staff for an update about the sale of the bank in Downtown Mystic. Staff reported that attorneys bought it and will be using the space as law and real estate offices. On December 11 th Tarbox will be working the referendum and may not be back in time for the regular Planning Commission meeting that day. VIII.5. New Applications Staff reported the second submission of the Hancock Farm Estates Resubdivision application. The first application had been approved on March 27, 2018, but was not recorded in time and expired. A hearing was scheduled for December 11 th. I. REPORT OF CHAIRPERSON I.1. Report of Chairperson. REPORT OF STAFF.1..2. Report of Staff - None. ASP Report for October Staff reviewed the ASP approvals for October and reported receiving an ASP for a permanent Groton fire training area behind the Town Hall Annex, which was withdrawn. The Commission stated they would like to review this application as a site plan. I. ADJOURNMENT I.1. Adjournment Motion to adjourn at 10:28 p.m. Moved by: Kane, Michael D. Seconded by: Steinford, Margil L. Jeffrey C. Pritchard Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 5 Printed on 12/06/2018
ADJOURNED, Secretary Planning Commission Prepared by Kara Hovland Office Assistant II Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 6 Printed on 12/06/2018