Inland / Wetlands & Water Courses Agency

REGULAR MEETING OF THE INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES AGENCY MIDDLETOWN CONNECTICUT June 5, 2019 A. Call to Order / Pledge of Allegiance The meeting was called to order at 7:03 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance. All members are voting members. Present: Commissioner Joe Carta Commission Trevor Davis Commissioner Ken McClellan Commissioner Constance Kisluk Commissioner Paul Dyka Commissioner Jammie Middleton Commissioner Jack Pieper Commissioner Fred Terrasi Commissioner Trevor Larrubia Absent: Commissioner Gabriel Russo Commissioner David Pritchard Commissioner Robert Whitney Commissioner Jennifer Greenberg Commissioner Kayleigh Pratt Staff: Christine Raczka Marquis, Planning/Environmental Specialist B. Public Hearing 1. Proposed construction of two (2) medical buildings and associated parking within the 100 ft. upland review area at 400-480 Saybrook Rd. Applicant/agent Medical Development Associates, LLC 19-02 (Date of receipt 5/1/19; Scheduled for a public hearing on 6/5/19) Frank Magnotta, the consulting engineer for the project, gave a summary of the proposed construction project. Commissioner Joe Carta asked if anyone from the public wanted to speak and then asked if any of the commissioners had any questions. Commissioner Fred Terrasi asked why the building could not be moved closer to building #5. Frank Magnotta responded that the problem was not the building but the associated parking that was the problem. Commissioner Fred Terrasi said that the additional parking could be satisfied by the parking already on site 1 Commissioner Trevor Davis asked what are the parking requirements for the site. Christine Raczka Marquis, Planning/Environmental Specialist responded by summarizing the parking requirements for the site and stating that the applicant is proposing an additional 71 spaces be added to the site. Commissioner Fred Terrasi asked how many parking spaces are proposed for the entire building. Frank Magnotta responded that there are approximately 65 parking spaces associated with building #4. Frank Magnotta also stated that they looked at moving the building but they realized that they would not gain much in terms of parking because they are confined by the property line. Commissioner Fred Terrasi stated that his concern was that some of the parking could be eliminated because there is already a fair amount of parking on the site. Frank Magnotta responded that the people using the building would need to park closer to the building and would not utilize the other parking spaces on site. He also said that we can reduce some of the parking but cannot move the building or the associated parking because of the property line and the steep slopes at top of the property. Commissioner Trevor Davis asked if building #4 would have an elevator. Frank Magnotta said yes I believe so. Commissioner Trevor Davis stated that he would like to send the application back to planning and zoning since this is an example of a building having excess parking that increases the cost to the developer and also impacts the wetlands. Commissioner Trevor Davis then asked staff and the Chairman if we had any suggestions on the process? Commissioner Joe Carta stated that we do have authority to discuss the parking since it’s in the wetland review area. Christine Raczka Marquis, Planning/Environmental Specialist said that she agreed with Commissioner Joe Carta that some of the parking spaces fall within the wetland review area and that is in the commissions’ purview. However, the amount of parking associated with a medical building is a Planning and Zoning question. The City Planner, Mark DeVoe, is working on updating those regulations but I’m not sure that is something we can implement for this situation. Commissioner Trevor suggested that we remove the parking in the wetland review area and make a recommendation to Planning and Zoning that they reduce the parking requirements at the site. Commissioner Joe Carta stated that the letter from Mark DeVoe, City Planner, state that the applicant is actually proposing 71 more spaces that the zoning regulations require. William Grandith, 224 R Ski Club Rd, Durham Ct, stated that the proposed use for building #4 is an orthopedic clinic and the additional parking on the ground level is to have extra handicap parking spaces. Also Planning and Zoning has requested that we add four electric car charging stations in the vicinity of the building. Christine Raczka Marquis, Planning/Environmental Specialist asked a clarifying question about the parking associated with building #4. Frank Magnotta answered her question and also gave some more insight to the parking design. Commissioner Trevor Davis asked why the developers were suggesting more than the required parking. Frank Magnotta answered that the site experiences peak parking periods where much of the lot is full and therefore the additional parking is necessary. 2 Commissioner Ken McClellan why can’t the building be moved further to the right? Frank Magnotta explained that the road next to the building is a two lane road and it would impede traffic. Commissioner Joe Carta said he would like to see the removal of the 34 spaces in the wetland review area. Where is the access to the back of the parking lot? Frank Magnotta showed where the access road to the back of the parking lot was on the map. Commissioner Joe Carta then asked why the access road could not come from the east side of the building. Frank Magnotta responded that the slope is very steep and difficult to work with. Commissioner Joe Carta asked what would happen if building #4 was moved closer to building #5. Frank Magnotta replied that that the back of the property is very steep and you would not be able to have parking along the back of the building. Commissioner Joe Carta asked why parking was needed for the second story when the second floor could be accessed with an elevator. Frank Magnotta replied that at this complex that is not how the buildings are designed. Commissioner Joe Carta clarified that the plan was to make the berm higher but not disturb the footprint of the basin. Frank Magnotta confirmed that they are not disturbing the basin. Commissioner Joe Carta asked about the over flow and if it would be the same size. Frank Magnotta, said that it would be in the same location and they are replacing the catch basin with a 6 ft. diameter man hole. Commissioner Joe Carta asked some clarifying questions about the new outlet and the flow rate from the site. Frank Magnotta answered the Commissioners questions about the new storm water system. Commissioner Joe Carta confirmed that the applicant was meeting the discharged regulations for the site. Frank Magnotta confirmed this and said they are required to meet those regulations since they are discharging into the state’s storm water system. Commissioner Ken McClellan made a motion to close the public hearing. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Trevor Davis. The motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Joe Carta closed the public hearing and moved the application to old business. 2. Proposed construction of a new concrete retaining wall along waterway to replace the one that fell within the upland review area at 50 Highland Ave. Applicant/agent Weld Management/ Andrew Weld 19-03 (Date of receipt 5/1/19 ; Scheduled for public hearing on 6/5/19) Commissioner Joe Carta opened the public hearing. Andrew Weld, 36 Allen Rd, Northford CT, gave an overview of the proposed construction project. Commissioner Joe Carta asked if any members of the public had any questions. He then asked any commission members had any questions. Commissioner Trevor Davis asked if any of the blocks were removed from the site. Christine Raczka Marquis, stated that when she spoke with the Director of the Planning, Conservation and Development Department, he felt it would be better if the applicant waited until the permit was issued before beginning any construction on the site. 3 Commissioner Trevor Davis asked if the applicant was okay with the staff suggestions. The applicant, Andrew Weld, stated that he was in agreement with the staff suggestions. Christine Raczka Marquis, Planning/Environmental Specialist summarized the staff comments. Commissioner Trevor asked if the commission wanted to see the updated plans. Commissioner Joe Carta stated that those updates were not necessary for them to approve or deny the permit. Commissioner Joe Carta asked some clarifying questions about the construction of the new retaining wall. Andrew Weld answered the questions about the retaining wall. Commissioner Trevor Davis asked about the former dam upstream from the property and when it was last inspected by the state. Commissioner Joe Carta said that there is no longer a pond and the stream is free flowing in that area. Andrew Weld brought up concerns about the bridge and said that it limits the flow of stream which is what is causing the damage to his property. Commissioner Trevor Davis asked if the City of Middletown had any plans to address bridge. Christine Raczka Marquis, Planning/Environmental Specialist, stated that she would discuss the road/bridge with Public Works. Commissioner Ken McClellen made a motion to close the public hearing. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Fred Terrasi. The motion passed unanimously. C. Old Business 1. Proposed construction of two (2) medical buildings and associated parking within the 100 foot upland review area at 400-480 Saybrook Rd. Applicant/.agent Medical Development Associates, LLC 19-02 Commissioner Ken McClellen made a motion to approve the application with the addendum that the 34 parking spaces on the southwestern side of the property within the wetland review area be removed. The motion was seconded by Fred Terrasi. Commissioner Trevor Davis wanted to add that Inland Wetlands make a friendly amendment to the Planning and Zoning Commission that they reduce the parking at the site even further. The commission unanimously approved the application. 2. Proposed construction of a new concrete retaining wall along waterway to replace the one that fell within the upland review area at 50 Highland Avenue. Applicant/agent Weld Management/Andrew Weld 19-03 Commissioner Ken McClellen made a motion to approve the application as long as the owner removes the debris in the stream as quickly as possible. He also requested that staff discuss the bridge and road conditions with Public Works. Commissioner Constance Kisluk amended the motion to state that the applicant include staff comments. The motion was seconded Fred Terrrasi. The motion passed unanimously. D. New Business None E. Agency Review 4 None F. Reports of Officers and Committees and WEO Report Christine Raczka Marquis, Planning/Environmental Specialist, reported that she was in communication with the Ron Baia, Zoning Enforcement, about any wetland violations. She said that at the time she had nothing new to report and gave a brief update on the Citgo Station on Newfield St. G. Public Open Forum None H. Minutes- May 1, 2019 The Commission approved the minutes from last month’s meeting. I. Communication and Bills Christine Raczka Marquis, Planning/Environmental Specialist, updated the commission on the EPA water tower that will be constructed later this summer and also the Millbrook Rd road improvements and pond dredging. J. Adjournment Commissioner Joe Carta moves to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Ken McClellan and Kayleigh Pratt second the motion. The chair states the matter passed with ten unanimous votes. Meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Christine Raczka, Environmental Planning Specialist 5