PLANNING COMMISSION
P.O. BOX 308
Thursday, June 10, 2004
7:00 p.m.
Town Hall Conference Room
I. CALL TO ORDER:
Chairman Karl Walton called the regular meeting
to order at 7:00 p.m. Members present
were: Greg Genlot (seated for Michelle
Hayward), Georgeanne Kuzman (seated for Cliff Bordeaux), and Karl Walton. Also in attendance were: Patrice Carson, Town Planner, and Merv
Strauss, Town Consulting Engineer.
II. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:
There was none.
III. OLD BUSINESS:
a.
Subdivision Application #376, 5-Lots, Hall Hill Road (Bridle Path
Ridge), Richard A. McCullough, Inc. Builders – Extension of Time for Decision.
Patrice Carson presented a letter received from
Richard A. McCullough, Inc. granting an extension in order for the Commission
to make a decision until the July 15, 2004 meeting. The original period of 65 days ends this evening.
Karl Walton asked if staff has been checking the
monitoring wells. Patrice said yes and
added that there doesn’t seem to be a septic issue at this point.
A motion was made by Georgeanne Kuzman, seconded
by Greg Genlot and unanimously voted to accept the letter from Richard A.
McCullough, Inc. granting an extension of time for decision until the July 15, 2004
meeting.
Patrice Carson said that she had discussed the open space issue with Mr. McCullough. There are a lot of wetlands and a fee has been recommended. In lieu of the fee, the builder owns 6 acres of land on Broadway and Stafford Road and would like to offer that as an alternative to paying the fee. Patrice said that it is not enough land to represent the entire fee, but it would bring the fee down somewhat.
After reviewing the regulations, Patrice noted
that they included the option to offer land in lieu of a fee only when it
involves a “nearby tract of land”.
Since this land is not “nearby” but rather across town, she suggested
that it might not be feasible.
b.
Resubdivision Application #377, 1-Lot, End of Eaglebrook Drive, Chen –
Reschedule Public Hearing Date.
Patrice Carson said that the notice for the
public hearing was late in being published because of the Memorial Day
holiday. The date of the hearing would
need to be changed until June 24th.
A motion was made by Greg Genlot, seconded by
Georgeanne Kuzman, and unanimously voted to reschedule the public hearing on
Resubdivision Application #377 to June 24, 2004.
c. Other:
There was no other old business.
IV. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Zoning
Referral: Special Use Permit
Application for Gravel Bank, Egypt Road, Charter.
Merv Strauss had heard that improvements had
been made but he had not yet had the chance to look at them. He expects to go tomorrow. A decision on this was deferred to the next
meeting.
b. Zoning
Referral: Special Use Permit
Application for Gravel Bank, South Road, Pleasant View Farms Realty.
Merv Strauss expects to check on any changes or
improvements to the site tomorrow. A
decision on this was deferred to the next meeting.
c. Subdivision
Application #378: 11-Lots, Isabella
Drive Extension, KRL Builders.
David Spear, from DLS Consulting, Traffic
Engineer Specialists, presented his study on the traffic impact of the 11-lot
subdivision as proposed by KRL Builders.
His study focused primarily on the intersection of Stebbins Road and
Battle Street. He said that the study
assumed that all the traffic from the 11 sites would go through this
intersection, which in actuality would not be so; it would most likely be less. Even with this assumption however, the
capacity issue would really not be a problem and the intersection would operate
“at B or better”. When considering
accidents, they found that the state history showed no accidents. He added that the state only makes record of
accidents when injuries are involved.
Town records showed 2 accidents at the intersection, neither the result
of the geometry of the roads.
The sight line from the left was 500 feet (from
Stebbins up Battle) and from the right the sight line was 300 feet. From the right it was impaired somewhat by
the retaining walls and grass, and the situation might easily be improved by
grading. Mr. Spear suggested that the
town put in an all-way stop, suggesting that this might help with a speed issue
which CCROG had discovered through counts which included speeds of 46 mph when
the posted speed is 30 mph. He felt an
all-way stop would increase safety and give drivers more time and space to make
decisions with regard to moving along the geometry of the roads.
The traffic increase wouldn’t affect safety
because the volume increase would be so small.
The first lot might be impacted, but minimally.
Mr. Strauss asked if any study had been done on
4-way stops and if accidents are because of them, especially rear-end
collisions. Mr. Spear said that 4-way stops
are relatively safe because all of the drivers must come to a stop. Problems may arise in very congested areas
where drivers are forced to wait in long lines. He was not aware of any studies that had been done.
Mr. Strauss said that southbound traffic would
have two stop signs in a very short distance and wondered if this would be an
annoyance that would cause problems.
Mr. Spear said no because drivers will have had to stop once and will
not be traveling at a high speed when needing to stop again.
Patrice Carson asked about putting in a “no
right turn” sign. Mr. Spear said this
would be an option, but violations are difficult to enforce.
Discussion followed on marginally widening
Battle Street at the intersection.
Patrice Carson said that the dilemma was the right turn aspect and also
the left turn when going onto Battle Street.
Mr. Strauss brought up the alternative of
closing off that segment of Stebbins Road and asked if they had studied the
traffic with regards to doing an extension through Isabella Drive. Mr. Spear said that no formal study had been
done, but he felt that doing this would just be trading one problem in for a
different one.
Mr. Leno of KRL Builders asked why this whole
situation had to impact his work, as it was not his responsibility. Mrs. Carson said that a plowing problem and
a traffic maneuvering problem existed and since he owns one side of the street,
now would be the time to address the issue and provide an opportunity to fix
the area. She mentioned that the town would
like to have as few cul-de-sacs as possible as they are very expensive and
provide many problems for town services.
The statutes and subdivision regulations enable the Planning Commission
as one of their highest priorities to govern the road patterns for orderly
growth and movement of traffic.
Attorney John Parks, representing KRL Builders,
said that there are three lots on Stebbins and one on Battle Street and one lot
would be lost if Isabella Drive was connected.
Mr. Strauss said that one lot less had to be weighed against the
improved situation on Stebbins Road and Battle Street.
The road needs to be more manageable for SU-30
trucks (delivery trucks) and Mr. Strauss asked if a comparison of the impact of
both traffic improvement situations could be given to the Commission.
Mr. Leno said that since the study said that the
intersection would only be at 10% of capacity once the new lots were in, why
was there any concern. Mrs. Carson
pointed out that the intersection should be a “level A” at this capacity
because when traffic does increase the intersection will go down hill quickly.
Mr. Strauss will provide Mr. Spear with his
rough sketch of the extension of Isabella Drive to help with his study and Mr.
Spear will look into making the turn better.
The results of his new study will be presented at the June 24 meeting.
d. Other:
There was no other new business.
V. STAFF/COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
Patrice Carson reported that they had had
another meeting with McCullough on the subdivision, as well as a meeting on the
Crow subdivision. They are also working
with Mr. Chen’s engineer. Work was also
being done with regard to letters in support of the land trust and open space,
agenda items and gravel banks.
There was none.
VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND BILLS:
Patrice Carson received notice of a seminar
called “Hot Topics in Municipal Law”, which she did not expect to attend.
Karl Walton received a letter from Mr. James E.
Wysocki dated May 27, 2004, and a memo from David Pinney regarding soil erosion
and sediment control ordinance.
Mr. Walton requested that the Commission go back
to New Business Other to discuss the memo from Mr. Pinney. A motion was made by Greg Genlot, seconded
by Georgeanne Kuzman, and unanimously voted to return to New Business Other to
discuss the memo.
Mr. Walton read the memo in which Mr. Pinney
said that David Askew had asked for the Commission’s opinion with regard to
eliminating the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control ordinance adopted in 1981,
which is now duplicated by “more appropriate and effective measures within the
town’s zoning, subdivision, and inland wetland regulations.”
A motion was made by Georgeanne Kuzman, seconded
by Greg Genlot and unanimously voted to advise the selectmen that the Planning
Commission agrees with David Askew’s recommendation to eliminate the ordinance.
A motion was made by Greg Genlot, seconded by
Georgeanne Kuzman, and unanimously voted to approve the May 27, 2004 minutes as
written.
IX. ADJOURNMENT:
A motion was made by Georgeanne Kuzman, seconded
by Greg Genlot, and unanimously voted to adjourn the June 10, 2004 Planning
Commission meeting at 8:50 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Robin A.
Timmons,
Recording
Secretary
MINUTES ARE NOT
OFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.