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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-12-03 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF DECEMBER 3, 2002 MINUTES Board Members Present: Fred Costlow, Vice Chairman David Clark Harold Wheeler Bill Masters John Hanson Robert Gurette City Staff Present: Katherine Weber David Gould Peter Witham Jim Ring Vice Chairman Costlow called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. In the absence of Member Fournier, the Associate Members were asked to alternate voting, beginning with Mr. Hanson. CONSENT AGENDA Vice Chairman Costlow asked if any Member of the Board wished to remove any item from the Consent Agenda. There being none, Vice Chairman Costlow asked for a motion. Mr. Clark moved to approve the Consent Agenda as proposed. Mr. Guerette seconded the motion, and the Board voted 5 to 0 in favor of the motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Those items approved are as follows: Item No. 1: Site Development Plan Approval to construct a 1,232 square foot addition to the building at 953 Odlin Road in an Urban Industry District. The Lane Construction Company, applicant. Item No. 2: Final Subdivision Plan Revision Approval to adjust lot areas, adjust roadway and storm drainage easements and to rename the road located on Ohio Street in a Low Density Residential District. Bean Real Estate Company, applicant. Item No. 3: Site Development Plan Approval to construct an 8,000 sq. ft. addition to the existing Telford Aviation Building for warehouse use located off Odlin Road in an Airport Development District. City of Bangor, applicant. Item No. 4: Site Location of Development Modification/Site Development Plan Approval to increase the size of the proposed addition to the existing auto dealership located at 260 Hogan Road in a General Commercial and Service. Varney, Inc., applicant. NEW BUSINESS Item No. 6. Site Development Plan Approval to construct a 124,498 square foot building for retail use in a General Commercial and Service District. W/S Bangor Properties, LLC, applicant. Chairman Costlow asked if a representative for the applicant would make a brief presentation. Alton Palmer, PE with Palmer Gorrill Engineers, indicated that he was representing W/S Developers Bangor, LLC. Mr. Palmer provided the Board with a brief history of the site. He indicated that the applicant was proposing a 124,500-square foot retail building on Longview Drive and Stillwater Avenue. Mr. Palmer noted that the plan included a shared driveway with the existing Home Depot store, and 550 new parking spaces. Mr. Palmer indicated that the development would utilize two existing detention ponds to maintain a post-development stormwater flow peak at the pre-development levels. Mr. Palmer also noted that the project would meet DEP’s standards for water quality and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) removal. Mr. Palmer indicated that the applicant reviewed the potential traffic impacts and has recommended specific off-site improvements. Mr. Palmer also indicated that Mitchell Associates has developed a landscaping plan to meet the City’s Buffer yard requirements. Mr. Guerette asked if the noted deficiencies in the Staff Memorandum had been addressed. Mr. Palmer said that his office had made several follow-up submissions to address the issues raised by the Staff. Mr. Costlow asked how the development could reduce the total suspended solids (TSS) from the stormwater for the site to 75% if it included the Home Depot site that did not have to treat stormwater at all. Mr. Palmer noted that the existing detention pond that serves the Home Depot site is credited with 75% TSS removal even though it was not required in the original design. Mr. Costlow asked if Mr. Palmer would indicate who the proposed tenant would be, if there would be outdoor displays, a garden shop, automobile service, or other accessory uses. Mr. 2 Palmer noted that the applicant typically does not provide advance notice of the potential tenant and reserves that publicity for the tenant. He did note, however, that the application did not include a garden center, automobile service or any outdoor display. He noted that should those details change, the application would have to be amended. Vice Chairman Costlow then asked for Staff Comments. Katherine Weber, Planning Officer, indicated that the proposed use was a permitted use in the General Commercial and Service District. The proposed building would contain 124, 498 square feet of retail space. Planning Officer Weber explained that the plan includes provisions for parking, loading, buffers, and stormwater management, and that all the items requested by Staff were provided, and that the application is complete and meets the development review standards. Ms. Weber indicated that Planning Staff recommended that the Board grant Site Development Plan approval. Mr. Masters made a motion to approved the Site Development Plan for W/S properties Bangor LLC, for a 124.498-square foot retail building located off of Stillwater Avenue. Mr. Guerette seconded the motion, and the Board voted 5 to 0 in favor of approving the Land Development Permit. Mr. Hanson noted that he was very concerned that the Board was not provided with the specifics of the proposed tenant, and that he felt that not knowing that information hampers the Board’s ability to make a full and complete decision. Mr. Wheeler responded that he understood Mr. Hanson’s concern, but that he has found in his years of economic development work that confidentiality was a key element in many projects. Item No. 7. Site Development Plan approval to construct a 3,822 square foot addition to the existing building at 559 Union Street in an Urban Service District. Tom Dunn/Bangor Photo, applicant. Vice Chairman Costlow asked the applicant to make a brief presentation. Mr. Thomas Dunn, of Bangor Photographic, indicated that he desired to locate his business on Union Street at the location of a former drive-up bank and, most recently, a sandwich shop. Mr. Dunn went on to say that it was their plan to reconstruct portions of the existing drive-thru canopy, delineate parking spaces, and delete some existing curbcuts. The Chairman asked for any Staff comments. Planning Officer Weber indicated that the project was a good re-use of the existing building. The applicant was providing additional screening and deleting some curb cuts that are a step in the right direction for safety at this intersection. Ms. Weber noted that the applicant had proposed to install planter in the existing drive-through lane, where the Staff felt that the drive should be permanently removed. Mr. Wheeler asked the Planning Officer why it was important to remove the drive if the planters would accomplish the same task. Ms. Weber indicated that with the drive-thru still present, there is a much greater potential that a subsequent owner would move the planter and reactivate the driveway. 3 Mr. Dunn noted that he thought that the proposed planter would be fairly immobile, although he agreed that it would be nicer to have the area as lawn and green space. Mr. Masters asked if it was the City’s responsibility to repair the existing curb if the driveways are removed. Mr. Jim Ring, City Engineer, indicated that adding or deleting curb openings was the responsibility of the property owner. He also noted that that portion of the drive that serves the sidewalk would remain. Mr. Wheeler asked if the Board could condition the approval on a specified timeframe to complete such a improvement. Ms. Weber indicated that the Board should decide whether or not it finds the existing plan acceptable or not. The applicant, as part of their approval, has up to a two-year window to complete the improvements contained in the approved plan, and that the specific timeframe is provided by the applicant. Mr. Wheeler moved to approve the Site Development Plan for Tom Dunn/Bangor Photo LLC at 559 Union Street with the condition that the plan be amended to remove the drive- thru lane and associated curb cuts. Mr. Clark seconded the motion, and the Board voted 5 to 0 to approve the Land Development Permit with the noted condition. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 5: Planning Board Approval of Minutes. Vice Chairman Costlow indicated that there were two sets of Minutes in order for approval. Mr. Guerette moved to approve the Minutes of the November 5, 2002 Meeting. Mr. Wheeler noted that the Minutes were well written considering the detailed discussion that took place, and he seconded the motion. The Board voted 5 to 0 in favor of the motion to approve the Minutes of November 5, 2002. Mr. Clark moved to approve the Minutes of the November 19, 2002 Meeting. Mr. Masters seconded the motion, and the Board voted 5 to 0 in favor of the motion to approve the Minutes of November 19, 2002 Meeting. OTHER BUSINESS Planning Officer Weber distributed a new draft of the Planning Board By-Laws. All th Board Members were urged to review them for discussion at the December 17 Meeting. Planning Officer Weber also distributed copies of the Department of Environmental Protection Staff’s Draft “Findings of Fact” on the Widewaters Stillwater, LLC., project. Mr. Hanson again noted that he was concerned that numerous projects come before the Board that, according to the Staff Memorandum, are incomplete or not in order for approval. He questioned whether such projects should be tabled. Mr. Jim Ring, City Engineer, indicated that the Staff is always in the process of reviewing many projects that are at various states of completeness. It is always the desire of the applicants to have their review and approval as timely as possible. In many instances, projects may be largely complete when the Memorandum is 4 writing, but the Staff has some remaining questions or needs clarification from the designers before a final recommendation can be made. These details are typically minor ones that would not warrant a delay in the Board’s review of the application. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Vice Chairman Costlow asked for a motion to adjourn. Mr. Wheeler moved to adjourn, Mr. Masters seconded motion, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m. 5