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04/09/2018 12:00 AMTwo retail buildings, the largest exceeding the size of Branford’s Stop & Shop supermarket by about 7,000 additional square feet, are being proposed to be built “on spec” on a 14 acre business site being prepared at 250 North Main Street. The plan calls for installing one building with a 62,426 square-foot footprint area, and one with an area of 13,200 square feet.
The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) began reviewing the Phase II special exception site plan on April 5, opening a public hearing at that time. The matter has been continued due to the need for several specifications requested by the Town Planner. The next PZC meeting is scheduled for Thurs. April 19, 7 p.m. at Branford Fire Headquarters, 45 North Main St.
The commission can approve retail buildings without specific tenants listed; but once tenants are named, the commission would need to approve further details, such as building elevations and other architectural plans.
A LOOK AT THE PLAN
“It’s a pretty well-thought-out use of the site; certainly pushing it, in terms of the regulations, as far as they can,” said Town Planner Harry Smith, speaking to the PZC on April 5.
On April 5, a representative of BL Companies (Meriden) went over the site plan application, on behalf of 250 North Main St. owner/applicant Jeffery Shapiro and neighboring property owner (244 North Main St.) W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home. Clancy’s abuts the parcel to the west and is signed on to the application due to a small land-swap required for the plan.
Smith also clarified for commissioners that approving the application’s proposed buildings does not restrict use of the buildings to one retail business per building, after Commissioner Marci Palluzzi asked the applicant if the larger building would be a “single box retail as opposed to subdivided.” However, the applicant’s representative, in response to Palluzzi’s question, indicated the intent, at this time, is to have one retail business in the larger building.
Key features of the Phase II application for the proposed development include buildings being proposed “on spec” meaning the town is given to assume commitments have not yet been received from future retail tenant. Other key features include significant grade changes to create extensive lengths of exposed rock slope; a new traffic signal on North Main Street/Route 1; and an interior lot interconnection access with adjoining W.S. Clancy Funeral Home. The interconnection is an agreement based on a “property swap” which gives Clancy’s some additional side-abutting property (about 17,000 square feet) in exchange for just over 15,000 square feet of property at the rear of the parcel.
The plan calls for a traffic light to be installed at the property’s main driveway on North Main Street (Route 1). The site plan also addresses constructing interior roadways and associated parking on the parcel. Proposed parking for each building is planned to meet or exceed zoning requirements for the size of each building, with 53 spaces meeting requirements for the smaller building and a proposed 262 spaces for the larger building exceeding a requirement of at least 250 spaces.
The property is just over 14 acres, but due to some steep slopes and wetlands, only about 10 acres of the land is developable, according to the applicant. The first phase of the project, approved by the town in 2015, allowed for exacavation to ready the land for development. The work impacted five acres of the site and involved grading and earth removal as well the beginning of installation of a storm water drainage system and adding a main entry way.
One area of the Phase II plan which requires further information for PZC review involves an additional parking area being requested at the back of the lot, to be created in part by blasting (removing a large knoll) to leave exposed rock slopes. The exposed rock, at its highest point, would reach some 37 feet. By way of comparison, Smith noted that’s about as high as the exposed rock slope behind the stand-alone Starbucks at 6 North Main St. Otherwise, the rock slopes, stretching some 400 to 600 feet in length, would average 15 to 20 feet and as little as a few feet in some area.
“The first step in moving forward with the review of this plan should be developing an updated geotechnical report for the rock slopes that has been requested by the Town Engineer’s office that is site specific,” Smith noted, adding the report needs to be provided “...to ensure that requirements of Section 6.8.F.3 are satisfactorily addressed and that a proper design and fall zones are being addressed.”
The section Smith referenced is in the town’s zoning regulations and discusses conditions for rock slopes meeting PZC approval.
Required fencing for the top of the rock slopes needs to be added to the site plan, as well, noted Smith. Smith also noted the proposed plan would need “substantial modifications” should the commission require a blasting/excavation setback of more than 50 feet from the property line; or should the commission determine the proposed exposed rock wall should better comply with objectives in Branford’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). To create the exposed rock slope, the Phase II application calls for full removal of a large knoll that was previously proposed to be at least partially retained.
PUBLIC HEARING OPENS
The PZC review of the application on April 5 included the opening of a public hearing on the matter. One resident, Janet Reisman, noted she is a member of Branford Citizens for Responsbile Development (BCRD) but was speaking at the public hearing on her own behalf and not as a representative of BCRD. BCRD us a grass-roots group best known for its opposition to extensive retail development on 44 acres at Exit 56 parcel, including a past proposal withdrawn by Costco.
Reisman urged the commission to put pressure on the applicants to scale back the project, asking for "...more modest, less intrusive green development."
Reisman said the commission should take into consideration issues involving unknowns with regards to future tenants; proposed buildings that are “too big for the site,” stability of the proposed exposed rock wall, and issues associated with the addition of another traffic light on North Main Street and the potential for traffic problems, especially when I-95 traffic is deviated to Route 1 during accidents and other high-volume periods. She also noted the traffic plan doesn’t take into account added traffic drawn by the new Subaru dealership to be constructed at 155-165 North Main St.
Reisman also questioned why “...we should have to approve buildings so oversized for the topography that we have to completely refigure the landscape,” adding that blasting “to get the thing to fit” could lead to “detrimental effect” for nearby business and condominium neighbors (a portion of Greystone Manor condominium property lies to the east). She also asked if reconfiguring the landscape fits the guidelines of the POCD.
In his staff report, Smith detailed criteria in the POCD relating to this application includes the recommendation that “trees, topography and waterbodies add to Branford’s scenic quality,” and that the control of “grade alterations to protect the scenic value of the community” should be considered.
In his specific recommendation to the PZC regarding additional information needed for the Phase II application, Smith wrote, “Staff recommends that no approval for this application be considered until the requested additional information, particularly a current, site specific geotechnical report is submitted and found to provide satisfactory evidence of compliance with the relevant portions of Section 6.8.F.3 of the Zoning Regulations.”