Okay, I'm going to call Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 meeting of the Esau Meadow Planning Board to order. Um, before I get directly into the agenda, if anyone is here for the Firestone project, I recommend while this board does some
administrative work before we get into uh the hearing that you look at that poster board over there. Those are the things this planning board can consider when we make a decision on this. We're more than happy to hear you during
the continued hearing, but you should talk about those things. So, I want everybody to see those and hopefully everyone will read them for the first five minutes while we do our administrative functions here.
So I'm going to call the meeting to order. First item of business is roll call. On that end, Pete Hunderson, >> Bill Fansa, Rob Derrell, >> Cassandra Sherolo, >> and Russell Denver. And we're joined by Rebecca Lissi, the deputy town manager.
Thank you for coming this evening. Appreciate it. So the first uh administrative task is the approval of the meeting minutes of June 16, 2026. Do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. Second. >> Have a motion made and second. Any
discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. >> That matter passes. So this is the first meeting of our year. So we do a reorganization of the board and election of officers. So do I hear a motion to uh
nominate a individual as chair for the next season or the next year? >> I move that Russell Denver be chair. I'll second. >> Any other nominations? Hearing hearing none. All in favor of Russell Denver's chair for another year.
>> Say I. >> I. That matter passes for vice chair. Do I have a motion? >> I can't make the motion. >> Yeah. What do I say? >> Do I have a motion for vice chair? >> I motion that Bill Fana be vice chair.
There's a nomination for Bill Fonika's vice. Chair, do I have a second? >> I have a second. Any other nominations? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. >> I. >> And for the position of clerk of the board, do I have a nomination?
>> I'll nominate Rob Terrell for clerk of the board. >> There's been a nomination. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Um, nomination made and seconded. Uh, all in favor say I. I. >> Thank you everybody. Um, we do need to
uh reappoint a member to the community preservation committee. Do I have a nomination? >> And nominate Bill Fonika. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second made. Nomination and second made. All in favor say I. >> I.
>> And then our uh representative to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. Do I have a nomination? >> Nominate Pete Punderson. >> Nomination made. Do I have a second? I'll second >> nomination and second made. All in favor say I. >> I. >> So now to the uh now to the meeting. So
we have a public hearing. Mr. uh clerk, would you please read the item? Case site-226-04 request for site plan review to construct a roughly 6600 ft com. >> Use the blanket. >> Yeah, thank you.
Uh 6600 ft² commercial building at 546 North Main Street. Cesar's partial ID 2B-76-1 located in the business zoning district. Applicant Zeremba Group LLC uh care of John Wita Jotilla sorry 14600 Detroit A
Sweet 1500 Lakewood Ohio 44107. So I need a motion to um reopen the continued hearing. So moved. >> Motion made in second. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I.
>> Okay. So this hearing is reopened. >> So I'm going to make the following statement. So I was the individual that was on the TV the last time we came together here. And I was the individual who kept saying please stop interrupting
speakers. Please calm down. Please no loud language etc. It's very unfortunate that I had to do that. And under no circumstances will that reoccur this evening.
None. If you get up, you insult someone, you interrupt someone, and in any way disrupt this hearing, you will be asked to sit down, and you will lose your opportunity to come and speak on this matter. And if you don't like the way I'm running the meeting, the deputy town
manager's here and the town manager's here and you can take your complaints to them. We run civil meetings here on the planning board. Period. So I'm letting everybody know what the rules of the road are going to be. So with that, the
planning board made a number of requests to the petitioners and we would like to ask the petitioners to come forward to begin the hearing and explain what changes, if any, you've decided to do on this project. And then after they've had
an opportunity to present, others who wish to speak either in favor or against the project using those criteria that we have put up there for you to discuss. We'd be very happy to hear your comments. Very, very happy.
So, would you all state your name and addresses for the record, please? >> Sure. Good afternoon or good evening, members of the board. My name is Seth Stratton. I'm an attorney. >> Mr. Stratton, I don't believe people can probably hear you. Can you probably bring that closer to you?
>> Can you hear me now? >> Yep. >> People here in the back. >> Thank you. >> Uh I'm attorney with an office at 46 Center Square. Um and I'll let my colleagues introduce themselves. >> Uh good evening, uh board members.
Herman Peralta, office at 8 Blackstone Valley Place in Lincoln, Rhode Island. My name is John Willa. I work with the Zaraba group and uh the company I work for were the applicant for the project. >> My name is Ethan Turney. I handle the
operations. >> Joe do project manager office. So, as much as possible, maybe you can take the handheld and stand so people in the audience can probably hear better. I apologize for
the acoustics, but they're not the best here. >> Better. >> Yeah. Can you face the crowd, please? >> Sure. Um, so my name is Seth Stratton. As I mentioned, I was not here previously in the last meeting. Um I'm familiar with many members of the board
of the board a number of occasions and I've been retained since the initial meeting. Um I reviewed the video of the meeting and I wanted to do um two things well three things and and Mr. fair. You
stole my thunder on number one by pointing out the sign um which is what is the standard um of review for a site plan? What this board is entitled under the law to consider and not to consider and uh whoever put that board together
did a very good job and um citing the proper requirements. Um so I can dispense with going through um each one as I plan to but I think it's important to remind the board which you know that
this is an as of right use and the only role of the planning board to um apply reasonable conditions to the use but the board has no discretion with respect to um prohibiting or permitting the actual
use. Um I will as you noted Mr. Chairman um the last meeting there were a number of requests and I'll just set the stage and articulate those requests and how we're going to address them and we'll try to face the ground. So um the
applicant was asked to explore flipping uh the building around to have bays face the other way. Um uh Mr. what pillar will address that um and he'll address why unfortunately that's not possible due to um the variance that was received
in the layout of the property but he can walk you through that. Um we were asked to address um adding more landscaping detail to the site plan. Mr. Watella will address that and I I hope you'll be pleased with the robust details on the
revised landscaping plan. Um, we were asked to update the phototric plans to show downcast lighting features. Those have been updated. To do that, Mr. Watella will walk you through that. Um, we were asked to conduct the traffic generation comparison with other land
uses allowed by Wright in the business district. There's an updated traffic plan that's been provided to the board. And in that plan, it does um, uh, show that update. and uh Herman the traffic engineer will walk through that and
highlight the uses that other permitted sorry the traffic levels associated with the other permitted uses compared to this use. Um we were also asked to update the site plans to show oneway flow of traffic. Um
Herman will walk through why um in his professional opinion that essentially could create more traffic problems for the community that it would solve. Um uh we are asked to look into the open bay door um whether the bay doors need
to be open or closed. Mr. Watill will address that but essentially um they can be closed as necessary. Um, we're also asked to provide a case study um of other areas similar to Esong Meadow where Firestone Auto Centers are.
While we haven't provided a case study um we're prepared to address the most similar Firestone um facility uh Tissome Meadow and and what was done there and um uh Mr. Peralta will address that. And finally, we were requested to show a
fence to be located on the southernmost part of the site and that is uh shown in the plans and uh Mr. Watella will address that. So that's what we're here prepared to address at the request of the board. Um and I'll turn it over to Mr. Watilla to do that unless there are any questions.
>> Just uh one moment members of the board, did they did they miss something or is that your recollection? >> Recollection. >> All right. Thank you >> again. My name is John and Rob at the very left did send us a
nice summary of the items. >> So why don't you go to the side >> so you can point it out on the screen and people in the audience can hear you better. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> First item I will talk about is uh
exploring the flipping of the building and having the bay doors face the street. So, if you could go to the last three pages, which would be 16, 17, and 18, and those numbers up there.
So, if you could go up to 16. You go up to 16. That'll down one. that that shows the the plan that was approved by the zoning board of appeals and it shows the variances that we obtained. So the the red crosshatch area here is the variance
we obtained from the 100 foot setback from the residential zone on the property because this is split zoning with residential here and business use here. So that was one variance we obtained. The second variance we obtained is that in the blue and so this
shows what was approved back by the zoning board. The next plan that shows has the old the the previous building location. So, it's a little gets a little confusing, but uh here's if you ignore that red rectangle that shows the
new site plan with the bay doors facing North Main Street. So, here we have the ba the bay doors facing North Main Street. Uh primary entrance is here. Now, in that location, >> if you if you lean over the projector, it will go out. So you have to scoot
around from the side. >> Don't lean over. >> Okay. So this shows in red crosshatch the variance that we would be required as a result of this plan. So let me stick with the plan. So it's similar in that we have the it's similar with the
the building location, but we've got the bay doors facing North Main Street as as requested. So we've got parking closer to North Main Street. We've got parking along the west side and a little bit of parking to the south side. So uh again this shows the variances that would be required with this version of the site
plan. And then the next sheet kind of identifies the comparison. Again the green is what we've already obtained. This this red patch would be what we would need. And likewise put the variance off of longer place and I have
the the values that would be helpful. So with the alternate site plan of pushing the bay doors facing the street, uh it would increase our variance. We'd have to increase the variance by 35.7 ft. Uh
it' be a bigger variance again from the setback from the residential zone. And then on a laundry place would be a increase in the variance of 3 and 1/2 ft. So that's that's kind of the option of putting the bay doors facing North Main
Street. Firestone generally likes the doors facing Main Street. A lot of communities prefer it without facing Main Street because you don't have your garage doors facing the street. Um so when we originally designed this and we
presented the plan to the zoning board, we were trying to be very sensitive to the variances that we were looking to obtain. So that's why we site planned it the way we did trying to minimize the amount of variances that we ultimately
needed and ultimately obtained. So before moving on um couple questions maybe. So you could go back to the zoning board of appeals and seek an addition additional amount of square footage for
variance. You could do that. >> That's right. Yes. >> Okay. >> We we did have we had two meetings that were cancelled because of weather and two meetings that we ultimately held and yeah, it it was similar where we they had some ideas. We came back with an
alternate site plan. So, yes, we could we could go that route. >> Could go that route. Yeah. Okay. >> Um more questions. >> Yeah. I'll just so I don't know if you're going to use this as an example, but so uh just one day getting my gas at
BJ's on Boston Road. Pull out what's right in front of me. Firestone. Five bays, not eight. So if you reduced the number of bays, would you fit within the variance that they approved?
>> No. It's a 10 base store. >> Pardon me. >> It's a 10 bay store. Five and five. >> Ethan's telling me it's a 10 base store. We have five on one side, five facing the street. >> Thank you. >> So, um, but to answer your question, I I
don't think it would we we couldn't fit uh a five bay. They don't do a five bay. So, theoretically, is it possible? I I don't think it would be possible with with five acres. You'd still be um the back of your building would
theoretically be not as wide this way. So, but you'd still be increasing the setback variance from the residential property if you reduced it by three bays. >> Okay.
Uh the next item I was going to talk on was the um adding additional landscaping. If you don't mind going to sheet number 10. And just for the people in the crowd, why don't you orient us?
>> Sure. >> Where's North Main, etc. If >> we could scroll down a little bit. >> So, North Main Street is running this way. Again, I don't want to stick my hand over the projector. Lander Place is on the right. That's the private right
away. Friendlys is the building. Here's the Friendlys building located there. Thank you. And then Amoretta Avenue which is Landregan turns 90 degrees to Amoretta Avenue is along the south end of the property. Again private
rightway. So that's uh and the drive locations that we're proposing are similar to the existing drive locations uh on the property uh currently. So the uh added landscaping, we did add three additional trees uh to the south
side and then uh 25 additional shrubs. So the the added shrubs were uh along at the northeast corner of the building west of the building. We added shrubs closer to north mainstream. We that whole section of shrubs were uh instate
had a breaks in them. So we made it one continuous uh shrub hedge. And then along the west end just south of the friendly we added some shrubbery there. Oh, we added some shrubs here. And then we
also added shrubs in this area >> and some additional here, some additional there, and then three trees that are along the south property line. >> So the south property line, you added how much? What did you add?
>> We added uh three uh trees in that area. >> We we already had a lot of shrubs in that area. So we added three taller trees and then most of the shrubbery we added was along the west, the east and then the north.
>> And so is the additional plantings on top of I believe you mentioned you were going to build up a 10 foot burm to the rear of the property or is that already exist? >> The the way that the the way the grading of the site works is we'll we'll be
cutting into the cutting into the we'll be cutting the ground down. So, we're going to be uh we have a retaining wall that's that kind of heavy dark line here. That's a retaining wall. And then up above it's it slopes up from there.
So, we we uh we before we did a grading plan, we talked about a burm, but it really works better because we're lower. So when cars pull in off of North Main Street, uh the headlights will be, you know, basically shining into the wall or
shining into the the slope up because it's about a six foot difference. About a six foot difference in this area here. Six foot difference in this area here. So we put all the shrubbery and trees at the south end. And I'm jumping ahead,
but we did add a uh 4 foot board on board fence at the very south end of the property. >> 4 foot high. >> Yeah, 4 foot high board on board fence. That was one of the requests uh from the last meeting. >> Okay.
>> Next six. >> The next item had to do with the phototrics plan. And we do have a an updated phototric plan. It's not it's not part of the exhibits, but it was submitted to Rob the 2nd of July and uh
it reduced the spillover dramatically. Um so we're basically at the property lines we're at 0.0 with spillover. We do have a little bit that encroaches onto the friendly property and a little bit uh onto this commercial property. >> Speak louder into the microphone.
>> Sorry. Um, so we do have a little spill over onto the friendlies and to the commercial property here, but all along the other areas there's no spillover of lighting. Uh the next items um on Rob's list were
traffic related um except for number six which had to do with you know can can can we legally operate with the doors closed or maybe legally you know from a code standpoint from a building code standpoint and the answer is absolutely
they do in the winter when they're working on cars and it's cold out the doors are closed generally the the space isn't conditioned. So in the summer generally the doors are open but you know as I mentioned last time if if a condition is placed to you know operate with the doors closed we would have to
air condition the space and they would operate with the doors closed. >> Mr. Stratton do you agree with that assessment >> with with his assessment >> with that building code requirement? >> Yes. Yes. Agreed. >> It said it was OSHA. The person who brought up said it was a OSHA code.
>> Yeah. But they probably didn't know what they were talking >> that that they had to be open or that >> somebody had mentioned that the they can't be open in the winter, right? >> Somebody mentioned at the last meeting that it was an OSHA violation to operate with the doors closed.
>> Yeah, we we don't believe that's accurate. >> Thank you. >> I checked with the project architect and they confirmed that you can operate the building with the doors closed from an OSHA standpoint. >> Hey, traffic
Great. Thank you. Um so I'm just going to discuss uh four items. Uh the first is uh byite uh uses uh within the business district for this property. Um the second thing I want to discuss is trips generated by a comparable
Firestone uh store uh which was in Alborough Mass given its um you know surrounding u uh area. Um and then third, I want to discuss the traffic circulation um uh for the site. And then fourth, I just want to quickly discuss uh the
analysis that we did at the intersection of um North Main Street with Lumbard Avenue and also North Main Street with Gerard Avenue. >> So So how did you how did you choose Adelboro, Massachusetts as a comparable
property? uh based on the size of the uh of the Firestone, it's got eight bays and also the uh the location of the store on an arterial uh which is mostly um commercial. >> Okay. >> So, as it relates to the uh byite land
use um uh based on the um town's um zoning ordinance, we we evaluated four land uses that's going more likely to be proposed at this site. Uh the first one that we looked at is a high turnover sitdown restaurant. Uh 6600 um square
feet is what we looked at. Uh based on the IT trip generation manual, which again is a national guideline that all traffic engineers used that um use would generate about 60 trips in the morning uh morning peak hour and about 60 trips
in the afternoon peak hour for a total of 120 trips during combined during the morning and afternoon. Now when you compare that to the uh Firestone um it's about it's less than 60 trips as I had mentioned previously. Uh the second uh land use that we had
evaluated is a coffee donut shop without a drive-thru window. Uh from what I understand from the zoning ordinance uh drive-thru is not allowed. It's not permitted in uh within the town unless you get a special use permit. So we looked at a uh without a drive-through window for coffee donut shop and that in
total would generate 300 trips. um combined during the morning and afternoon peak hour. The third that we had looked at is a fast food restaurant without a drive-thru and that would generate approximately 380 trips combined AM and PM peak hour. Uh and the
last one that we had looked at is a convenience store gas station. Uh we looked at eight view uh vehicle fueling positions, but in reality a lot of the gas stations today have about 12 to 16. But just to you know put that in perspective we put eight vehicle fuel in
position and that would generate approximately 235 uh trips combined again during the morning peak hour and afternoon peak hour. When you compare that to the you know the automobile care center which is the it land use we had used for the Firestone again we're looking at 58
trips. So those four land uses that we had evaluated you know generate significantly more than what is being proposed in front of you. Just just repeat one more time the four uses. >> Uh it's >> as loud as you can. >> Sure. High turnover sitdown restaurant
120 total trips. Coffee donut shop without drive-thru window approximately 310 trips. Fast food restaurant without without a drive-through window approximately 380 trips total. And then convenience store gas station with eight
view uh vehicle fueling position appro approximately 235 um trips. Okay. >> Um when we did um as I mentioned, we did do counts at the um Firestone in Aluro, Mass. again, it it's comparable in terms of the number of bays. It's got eight
bays. It's on an arterial roadway. In fact, um it's actually on a roadway that has higher volume because it's got two um lanes in each direction, route one in Albor, Mass. And that store generated 39 trips total. Um so if we were to
compare it to the IT land use so the Firestone in automass um generated 12 total trips in am compared to 26 based on the estimated from the IT trip generation in afternoon it's a little bit more
comparable but again it's still less it's 27 trips in a PM peak um for the one in Alabora mass based on the IT IT trip generation is 32 trips So in real in reality the um the fire does generate less trips than what the
IT trip generation manual um suggests. Okay. >> Uh the third item I wanted to discuss was was the circulation. Uh so right now as as proposed there is full access driveway on North Main Street and a full access driveway off of
laundry place. We highly recommend to keep that uh type of traffic flow uh for three reasons. One is for emergency access so there's no confusion on on in terms of you know the traffic flow to to allow for full access. Second um you
know it it it minimizes the you know the the traffic redistribution within the adjacent street traffic um on north main street and laundry place and third having full access eliminates um wrongway um driving. So um so in terms
of you know again circulation and access we highly recommend full access uh uh based on those three reasons. >> Any questions on that? >> I I'll get to it. Yeah. >> So the fourth thing that we had done is we did um we did look at the
intersection of laundry. I'm sorry notan North Main Street with uh Gerard Avenue to the west and then looked at the intersection of Lombard Avenue and um and North Main Street to the east. uh based on the analysis that we had conducted during the morning peak hour
and even peak hour, the trips that will be generated by the fire stone would you know add it will have minimal impact would when I say minimal impact it would um add less than two seconds of delay to the intersection and we anticipate most
of those traffic um that's going through those two intersections um are just you know are just pass by through traffic um so when I say less than two seconds, we anticipate that half of the trips that be generated by the Firestone is going east and the other half is going west.
So when you think about it, 32 trips in a PM, let's say 16 trip 16 trips going to the east, two trips going to the west. Again, just to put that in perspective, you're looking at one vehicle every four minutes going through that intersection. Thus, you know, minimal impact to the the two
intersections. So, our former planning director suggested um one way in, one way out and the flow with on the site. Is that still is that being considered? Is that something that can be done? >> We we looked at it. Um again, as a
traffic engineer, we recommend for full access um given, you know, we to allow for uned um traffic flow for emergency vehicles, especially fire trucks. It also minimizes the the you know um the
redistribution of traffic to adjacent streets on laundry and North Main Street. And and thirdly, as I had mentioned earlier, it eliminates unintended runway driving. >> So I am certainly not a traffic expert. You're coming north from the corner of
Harkness in North Main. You're coming north to your property. Someone wants to take a lefthand turn before you go up the hill to Friendley's. So you're you're almost at the top of the hill at Friendley's. You want to take a left
into your property and there's probably maybe 100 200 feet between that entrance and the top of the rise at Friendley's. And you're saying based upon your traffic knowledge that that's a safe
thing to do. When you say left turn into this ato here. >> Yeah. >> So you're coming up from the corner. I don't So you can't see the light in this picture. It's to the left. Okay. Back there. You're coming up and you want to
go left into Firestone right at that entrance right there. So you're crossing that traffic. >> That That's safe. >> It is for for uh for two reasons. One is you're crossing one lane of traffic, not two. Um secondly, there is um so we had
measured the stopping site distances and intersection site distances at that intersection and it meets um not only meets it exceeds the minimum requirements for the Ashley guidelines >> and maybe you and maybe you and Mr. Stratton can address the next question.
So Landan is a a creature ownership design. You know, I don't know if it's a private way, a public way that hasn't been accepted, so forth and so on, but what are your plans for improvement of
Lon and what legally can you do without town approval? >> Got it. >> It's certainly a unique situation. Um, it is private rightway. It was created in uh 1917 by a plant and the rightway
was never accepted by the town. So, it's a private rightaway. Um we've been told when our legal counsel is that we can we can do what we want to do with it. We can't impede it. And in fact, there's utilities that run down laundry place.
So, sewer and water just gas in place. So we we we can improve it uh and treat it as right away like it is. We can't block it. We can't impede it. Um so that's the council we we've
received. >> And so do you have plans to improve it? >> Oh yes. >> Okay. And what are you going to do to it? >> Oh, we're going to uh rebuild the not not all of it. Rebuild the portion that we're improving. So it's really very
similar to what's there now. We're going to improve that part that exists from from about this location up to North Main Street. So, re rebuild Landrean uh rebuild the pavement in Landrean Place. And it's at a it's at a real bad slope
right now as it gets up to the building that's there now. That that won't exist. >> Okay. I walked the site a couple weeks ago with our planning director, met two young ladies to the rear of the property who owned a home there. They ask
questions about s uh runoff from that street. You're collecting the runoff onto your property. How would that work? >> Runoff. Runoff from the road place that flows into >> So they're at the top. They're at the
top and they sell said that there's like a depression in the roadway just collects um rain water and the sort. So >> they want to know whether it's going to get worse. >> I would surmize that it's in that
vicinity. What we're improving the flow of the roadway. So we would maintain a storm water flow along the edge of the pavement and ensure that that water flows continually to North Main Street as it does today. >> Okay.
Great. All right. What else is on our list? That's it. >> That was all. If I could, there was one other item that was brought up and keeps from looking at what what have we done in other similar situations to alleviate traffic issues, mitigate traffic and and
you know, I did look at uh the projects that we developed for Firestone and it just doesn't generate traffic to the point where anything was done to alleviate or mitigate traffic. So, I know Mr. Terrell asked that specific
question. We we did look it just we we couldn't there was really nothing that we've done on other similar situations to alleviate any any traffic issues. >> Um what I'd like to do is just kind of emphasize a little bit of what what I was saying about the oneway circulation
that was suggested um the issue that that would have. Um so if we were let's say if we were to propose one way enter here and then exit through here. The issue with that would be if someone's driving here
and then they take a left here to enter here and this is one way exit only. That's going to be an issue. Um how are they going to be able to turn around if they do turn left into one place? um there's not really you know um
you know a way to kind of sign that um on place at North Main Street and then and if we actually reverse the one way let's say it's one way enter to laundry uh place this way and then exit only onto this driveway if someone has is you
know driving westbound here and wants to take a left and already bypass laundry place where you're supposed to enter and they bypass um you know that laundry and this is an exit only. Obviously, that would be an issue where someone
might just, you know, take, you know, take a left and just, you know, go through a do not enter or they would have to pass by it and then maybe pull into one of the parking lots and then come back around and go down to London place. >> So, that's what I was, you know, trying
to explain in terms of uh, you know, avoiding that oneway uh, conundrum with the do not enter um, driving. So, so that's that's the issue that I take when when you're trying to propose a one-way circulation. It's just trying to sign that um and making sure that people are
entering the correct um driveway. >> Mr. Shatton, all set. >> Yes. >> Okay. Just before we uh ask the audience, anyone who wishes to speak on this, the board members have any? >> I don't have a question, but I have a comment.
>> Mr. Pund, the floor is yours. This afternoon, I brought one of my cars down to the repair shop down closer >> at Colonial Auto. Took me three and a half minutes to get out. That was at 3:30 this afternoon. Not
even peak time. One car added is too much. It's an awful place to drive in the afternoon. Try to get try to get out of Kelly Verdette. Try to get out of uh Friendly Ice Cream, Lombard Avenue. It's it's awful. So, I travel that road a lot. Go to the gym.
It's always always, you know. >> All right. So, if anyone in the audience wishes to speak, please step up to that microphone. Please give us your name and your address. And as you're walking up, couple of takeaways from the last meeting that I wanted to address.
There's a lovely woman who got up banging the table, very passionate. >> Keep that if you She talked about how that part of town is uh always disregarded and the rich people that the Fields of Chestnut would never put up with this. I want everyone to realize
that the Fields of Chest or the 330 Chestnut Street project that was approved by this board. So all those rich people you're complaining about, they're going to get a warehouse or two or three or four. So keep that in mind when you make a statement like that. And
the other thing is we are not allowed to um say we don't like that company and they can't come in or there's too many of this or too many of that. Think of all the banks we have in town. We're probably the most banked town in
America. How many restaurants do you think? Not the past meeting, the meeting before we approved two new restaurants in town. Do you think all the Italian specifically the Italian restaurants in town are upset at us for approving new
restaurants that they compete with? There are seven. Someone mentioned there are three other auto repair places. I counted seven. A very simple Google search. And my point to all of this is we are limited on what we can approve
and not approve or deny. So just want to put that out there. And I the other thing that I want to just have people know when you stand up and you present to this board, realize that that's history. You're making history
with your comments. That will be of public record for the rest of your life and your kids' life and your grandkids life. So we would prefer that you have accurate information and just put it out there. And we certainly respect that all of you come to these meetings and give
us your opinion. Sir. >> Yes. Thank you very much for putting together this informative uh dissection of the project at hand. My name is John Godwood. I and my wife are longtime residents nearby on Lombard Avenue. And
thank you for letting me confine my comments to the traffic situation because that is the problem with this project. We have a known, well-known, documented problem with traffic in this area of North Main
Street. It is such a problem that the town has applied for and gotten grants to improve the traffic. This project is only going to have the effect of pouring oil on a fire. It's only going to make the traffic much, much worse. Now, my
main concern with this is when I get out of my street, Lyric go, and I'm on Lombard trying to get on North Maine. I'm not in a hurry. I'm old. I'm retired. I take my time. I plan ahead. But a lot of people are in a hurry and
they take risk going out of Lombard. And more importantly, sometimes they try to weave through the neighborhood to get out a different way. and they're not being so cautious and careful when they do that because they're in a hurry and
that is making a traffic situation much worse. Now, I myself have seen a couple of accidents through the intersection of Bombard and Fort Maine. I've nearly been hit a couple of times and I've witnessed
many near misses. This is only going to make it worse. Nothing against fire. I mean, I don't go there. I can't afford them. But my son takes his fleet car there and you know, they're nothing wrong with them. Just not the right
place for them. You know, we have a severe traffic situation now that I've been told is going to be mitigated severally over the next few years. Fine. We'll see. But in the meantime,
we have an unbearable traffic situation that this would only make worse. Thank you. Thank you, sir. So, I just want to add into the record. So, after the last meeting, there were a number of residents who said that they had called
the town and complained about traffic and the like. So, I asked the former planning director, who you can see is no longer here, to reach out to the police department and DPW to see what complaints they've received
over the last couple of years. And this is the response. So, this is from Mark Williams, who is the chief of police in East Long Meadow. Hi, Rob. I reviewed calls labeled as traffic
complaints on North Main Street and/or Gerard for the past two years. I can't find anything related specifically to that site or intersection other than a past call of a disabled motor vehicle with a flat tire. Most of our traffic complaints on North Main Street have to
do with erratic operation, disabled vehicles, or issues with vehicles in inside the shopping plazas. Mark. And this is from um Christopher Well, Christopher Beecher. He is the fire
chief. Hi Rob. Since January, we've had two calls on the 500 block of North Main Street, a car fire at 562 North Main and an alarm activation at Friendley's. Most of our calls are medicals at Big Y and Stop and Shop. And lastly from Mark
Berman who I don't know Mark's specific title deputy director of Department of Public Works. Thank you. Hi Rob. I received a complaint about the crosswalk and pedestrian safety next to Lombard A. Thank you. Just wanted to put those into
the record. Anyone else wish to speak on this matter? Please step forward. online at some point. >> Okay. >> Hi, my name is Eugene Dacin. I've lived in East Meadow about 9 10 years now. Uh,
I'd be really disappointed if this business enters this area because I live right over here at Gerard next to Friendlings. Uh, but since we can't talk about that, I want to discuss two things that are really glaring to me on the renderings. I didn't see any sidewalk in
front of the building. Can I ask a question if is there going to be a sidewalk there? >> Thank you. Yes, there's a sidewalk along the west side of the building >> right here. >> All along North Main Street, we're putting a new sidewalk. There's sidewalk there, but we're reconstructing the
sidewalk. Then there's also a sidewalk you can see that uh goes from North Main Street sidewalk to the building and to the primary entrance, which is right there. >> Right here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, that's one concern. Second concern, I noticed these uh turns are
very smooth, which means a car flying this way goes right in or a car flying this way goes right in without stopping. I think if you make these curves sharper, the car will have to come to a more stop here and then cross the sidewalk. So, they're not flying in and
hit pedestrians or cyclists or anyone on the sidewalk. >> Also, if you I would really hope that this sidewalk remains continuous. That way the car has to come to a crawl and crawl over the sidewalk instead of flying in. So if there's a pedestrian
here or a cyclist or you know someone and and if someone's in the wheelchair, they don't have to go down here, go across the driveway and then go back up a ramp here. So I hope it's a continuous sidewalk. That's a more of a modern uh safety feature for pedestrians.
And my third point is uh you said there were no complaints. I've lived here nine years. I've gotten in uh almost hit in this area three times while I was walking or cycling. I never compl complained or recorded it just because it was a near hit. Uh my 2-year-old and
I walked this sidewalk often to get to Stop and Shop or Sammy's Ice Cream or Petco to look at the turtles and I really hope you take considerations to make this sidewalk super safe for everyone. Thank you. >> So, he raises a very good point. How about signage before the entrance and
exit about, you know, beware of pedestrians on sidewalks? Something like that. I'll just put that out there. We may make it a condition. So, >> also, >> yeah, yeah, we can definitely look at um a continuous sidewalk. Um so, that I think that's um actually a good point.
Um, we'll take a look at that as part of the design. >> The the entrance, excuse me, the sidewalk, um, has 88 ramps on either side. We're proving that as part of the project. Um, it's not continuous through the driveway opening. Um, that's
intentional due to the the truck traffic or the u vehicles that enter into the into the development. um that we're going to have that pump if you will when you come into your development. Uh but the sidewalks will
be improved from what they are today to new ADA standards as such. >> That hump you're referring to is modern safety standards. It slows down the vehicle and pedestrians remain on the same level and the vehicle has to go over the hump. That's the safety. That's
the modern safety. We're maintaining storm water and the traffic pow, >> right? I understand that we have these driveways. These are not safe driveways. They're they're antiquated. They're not modern. >> The modern way is for the pedestrian to
remain level and not step down in the vehicle to crawl over the cycle. >> Thank you. Excellent ideas. Thank you. Anyone else like to speak on this matter? Please step forward. And then we will go to anyone who is
calling. >> Sorry. >> Anyone who is calling in on Zoom, we will come to you next. >> Thank you. My name is Phil Adams. I 58 Grand Parkway. I brought some notes because
my grandchildren are my grand with my notes. I'd like to let let you know that this property was bought in 1976 and 1978 and has been used for the last 50 years.
The businesses that have been there have been the Christmas tree business that's been there. We had a fruit stand that was there for years. We had Easter flowers for the holiday and we also had summer flowers working there as well. Uh, this property has served the
residents of this community for 50 years, like I said, with no calls from service for the East Law Metal to my knowledge. Uh, I've been a police chief uh for the town I have been a police officer for the town of East Law Meadow
for over 27 years and had the privilege of serving as your police chief for two years. I know this location very well. I grew up on Brainwood Road. We have an owner, Arthur Ram, who most people here know, has been providing the above
services faithfully for these 50 years. And now the years have gone by. Mr. Ram knows it is time to sell. And someone else has will have the privilege to serve the residents of this community. We currently have four auto body shops
from Hartness Avenue to the Town Line in Springfield who are in operation today with loyal customers. It is time for the town to say thank you to Mr. Ram for his 50 years of being in business at 546 North Main Street, allowing a new owner
to this property to continue to serve the residents of this community. This project in my humble opinion meets all the town zoning bylaws is a suitable business for this site and I would hope that we that this would be approved by
the members of the board of planning planning board. Thank you. >> Anyone else wish to Oh, let's go to zoom if there's anyone who wishes to be heard. >> One more. >> Well, let me just quickly go to Zoom. Hi. You hear?
>> Yes, we can. >> All right. Thanks. >> She has to wait in front of my right >> and I am hearing so apologize. This is Jason
Street, East Meadow. I want to comment on uh the safety for pedestrians and cyclists. I have them both on North Main Street there and I have also in my car documented multiple cases. I've shared
with uh DPW using my dash cam of messes of pedestrians crossing North Main Street at Lombard at least two there and one a little bit further down. Um, I've also experienced
it personally and those wide radius are one of the main causes. As the previous uh speaker said, cars can roll in at high speed. >> And if there's someone like a child riding a bike on their sidewalk, >> walking the wrong way and not looking
behind them, >> uh, that car will cruise right in. I know I know that people are concerned about traffic but I don't think nearly enough >> uh concerns have been put on or focus has been put on your safety >> that's a 30 radius
>> on the uh west >> perhaps north side of uh the curb cut >> and it's 20 foot radius on the other side 90T crossing >> that's a lot of distance for a pedestrian to get across out of the way
of a car that is not being careful. I would recommend that you that you ask them for the smallest possible radius perhaps 6T so the car way down get a full view of who is in
>> the way and do not allow them to proceed >> essentially off. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Just so just while you're there, Jason, so they also have to have
tractor trailer deliveries. So that might uh limit their ability to go to a six-foot driveway, but we will certainly ask them about that. Thank you. Anyone else on Zoom wish to be heard?
Okay, back to the public, please. >> I'm going to my teacher voice and speak here. >> Okay. So I can't hear you. >> My name is Christine Williams. I live on Maple Pierce.
And Mr. Penderson, you consider himself lucky that he only had to wait three and a half minutes. Taking a left from Lombard Lombard is perilous. And perhaps the police chief has a
limited number of uh reports about that area because nothing happened. But someone else mentioned the near misses. I have waited there white knuckles holding my breath praying that I can get
out of there myself without anyone crashing into me. So, this is a horrible place for an 8day large business. I am totally uh open to the idea of new business coming into
town, but this is not the place. That is a nightmare on North Main. And I'm surprised no one has mentioned a traffic light as a mitigation. So, I'm very opposed to this loca this this is located in this very very
dangerous area. >> So, you raise a really interesting point. So, I live um on Lester Street and I access the main road onto Maple Shade and onto North Main Street. So, you know, there's a set of lights there,
right, to CVS. So, to go into Springfield, I go down and buy that location. I'm surprised that there's been no reference to the fact that between Lombard and the traffic light at the corner of Harkness
and North Main, what what is the distance between Lombard and that intersection? And doesn't that light alleviate or provide the people who want to take a left from Lombard? Okay, thank you. Thank you. I'm asking
that question, but to to the average citizen, that would seem to like provide cover for you to take a left. But okay, thank you. Thank you. Next person who wishes to address
Oh, there's my friend. Hi. >> Hi. Um, my concerns aren't the graphic name. Uh, >> my name is Bernardet Bonner and I live at two Long Place. Um the bays facing my house still um even
with the mitigation which they're saying they're going to do just a couple more shrubs and a couple more plants um in order to make decibb go down 10 um you need at least a 24 in thick
retaining wall. I don't know how big the wall that they were talking about. And you need at least um 6 ft of trees densely together, not just the sparse that it'll be for quite a few years. Um and both
and for trees like that, it only mitigates about six dB. And the average decelled item, even with the garage being closed, that also only mitigates 10, which the loud items in a
garage are 120 dB, you still go deaf at 70 and above. And the other concern is I don't them saying that it's going to be down below, which will make the noise better. um
that doesn't mitigate sound at all. It's barrier walls that do so. Um which again would only be 30 dB, 40 at most, which is still above the sound limit for like and that will
travel that far towards my housewise, decel wise. Um so that is a big concern still even with what they have proposed for mitigation. Um my other concern
is having the two like that is because this has happened with even the smaller business being there. Um when they come in, they come all the way down to the small little road that's
road, not a road. Um and I have almost been like hit on my not supposed to have anyone down there road. So that is another concern with them allowing traffic coming in both ways for me because people will miss
things like people do. Um, and there are plenty of places that have what you had originally proposed, coming in one, and going out, including like Stop and Shop, which has one that comes in and then one that goes out with no maybe once in a
blue moon you see someone go out the wrong way, but with great with good signage, people don't usually do that as often. Um, also not to be a pita, but the adult burl store actually does not have the
same amount of bays as this. It has 10. Um, so I don't know if that's the closest they have or not. Um, another concern is just paving like half of it. Like how high is going to be? Is it going to be difficult for me to get in
and out because of it? Um, just paving to there because as the is this the laser pointer? As the picture showed like this to this cuz my house driveway is right there. Um,
again, the concern of if this becomes like watery because it has a little bit of a lift now cuz they said they're just going to do right here. And I'm concerned about that causing again more of a problem from just paving
that one small area. Um and also just to point out too like Kelly forget um very far away I can still hear like and that it's not as high as a decel item and I can still hear it from my house.
Again, that's just the concern of, you know, cuz I'm not supposed to bring up like hours of operation. So, um >> we'll get to that though. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Cuz I have a lot of proof for that, too.
But, um that that is I guess also my other concern is is everyone going to stop work when they open a door? Probably not. and how long are they? Because again, with it facing my house, I understand
that, you know, they're going to try their best to keep it closed, but that's not going to happen in all cases. That's just how humans work. And is there going to be day where doors are open and like I'm going to have to call the cops? like I don't want to do that
cuz again um I and to put another note on that, I'm not calling the cops for near misses or other things of someone almost hitting me because it's not an emergency. I was told you don't call the cops unless it's
an actual emergency. So people aren't calling them for traffic problems like that. I guess that's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening. Um, my name is Rich. I live at 12. >> I didn't hear the address, please.
>> 12 Kingman. >> 12 Kingman Avenue. >> Jamie, can you help? >> It's on. >> It's on. >> Okay. Um, I live at 12 Kingman. 12 Kingman Avenue, which is right up the
hill. Right up the hill here. Um, I can use my teacher voice if you want. >> Just you don't press it at all. Just It's on. >> It's on. >> Yeah. So, yeah, you're you're pressing >> modern technology. >> Um, I've lived here for about 34 years.
>> Um, I am I am I am opposed to what's going on as far as home. Um, when you had the police reports. >> Yeah. >> When When did Jiffy Loop happen? >> When did I What? >> When did Jiffy Loop happened? Remember when it got creamed
>> and we got a drive in there all of a sudden >> or the sign that got hit back at the four corners? >> So, let me tell you what I did. So after the last meeting, I reached out to the planning director and said there were a number of people who complained about said they've called the police in the
town about traffic safety issues. Would you please reach out to those departments and get the information about what the complaints were? >> Drunk. >> And hold on. And that is what we got in return. >> Okay.
>> I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm not saying that. And that is what we got from the town departments. >> Okay. Now with this new water project, this this reminded me when I came in. They keep on mentioning heartless. >> Is that your water bill? Is that what you pulled out?
>> Water. The town of East Long Meadow decided they should start wasting their money on these flyers when paper was fine before. And I thought it was kind of ironic. I got this beautiful pamphlet along my property tax bill.
which has gone up. >> Let's focus on this. >> Well, anyways, um it says hardness in there. Does hardness mean they're going to go behind and shop and start digging in there? Or does hardness mean they're going to
start harness? because then we have another problem when Firestorm tries to open or Firestorm tries to build and the road's a mess because I know it goes all the way up to the Springfield line.
So that's something I'm just trying to bring to people's attention and this and those are two prime examples of some bad things on North Main Street as far as the Trump hit. um Jeffy Luke
and the drunk that hit the sign back at the four corners >> and someone ran into the Chase Bank recently >> and and took out after building. So >> surprised >> someone a police or a postal driver drove into someone at the pride station.
>> That's right. >> I mean happens, >> you know, the overall thing. Now I've only lived here for 23 years, but I used to live on Elellanena Road, four streets into Springfield. And when I was a kid, I had a Sunday paper route in East Saw Meadow. Got my donuts at Donut Dip, went
to friendlies after baseball and soccer games. So I know that area quite well. And on the issue of traffic, I would say every single person in this room would say there's more traffic today than there was 25 years ago. >> And there's going to be more traffic 10
years from now because more people drive and there's more business. And I I don't know how much we can do about that. >> A place like Jiffy Luben that that's more comparable to what they're doing with this mess. >> I mean, it would it would probably
depict exactly what traffic is, >> but I don't know what the legalations. >> Again, that's crazy. I identify anybody. I pull out of Lumbard every day and three three or four minutes is not true thing. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Make sure you take your flyer. >> Yep. >> I got one. >> Hey. Hey. >> 10 minutes. >> So, we're going to do a few more speakers. Go ahead, ma'am.
>> My name is Andy Alex. I've lived in this town for now 73 years. >> Okay. I lived >> on lived on Smith Avenue and I own Frank service and I know a lot of people were concerned am I going to go out of
business? I really don't think fire will be out of business. I think >> my >> I can't hear a word you're saying. >> My thing is that it is too big of a building. This is a small town. We do
not need eight days. We also don't need the base facing back going forward like it should be. And the other concern you had brought up how friendly land slopes down. That's a big concern of mine. People pulling out to the left. They're
already coming down that hill fast. That's a concern. Oh, that stole my thunder over there about the doors being open or shut. But those that's basically my concern. I mean, I don't care if fire goes up. I
just think it's too big for the area. >> So, let me address let me address the the building. So, as part of our zoning ordinance, they have to meet certain guidelines on, you know,
rear property, front property, side property, you know, where the building could be located. And according to their plans, they meet those guidelines. So they technically with an 8 bay
building, it meets the town's guidelines on the placement of the building. They meet their side requirements, their rear requirements, etc. with a variance. So just want to let people know that. So, we're we're getting to the point where
we're getting um where I would like to have people, if you're going to come forward, if you have something new, then I would appreciate if you add something new to the conversation. Put this in here. Put this in here. Can you hear me?
>> Hi, my name is Sarah Miguel. I live at 28 Gerard Avenue. I'm in the corner of Rodri and Gerard. I'm very concerned about this project. I am pro business for our town of East Long Meadow. We have a lovely little town that we should support small businesses and I am um a big supporter
of that. Um, I do have a concern about um the truck that does go through my neighborhood. I have called the town um throughout the many years I've been there. My parents have called the town. Um I have a daughter who is blind and the last thing the town told me was
we'll put up signs on Rodri and Gerard and that's the best we'll do for you for cars speeding through the neighborhood. This brings up I don't like bringing up traffic because there's always going to be traffic on North Main Street in Nissan Meadow. However, um if they miss
the turn for this car, for this for this um um business, they're going to turn down either Lombard or Gerard and cut through my neighborhood where there are lots of small families that are coming back into that side of town and it's a lovely little neighborhood. Um I am very
concerned about that. I'm concerned about where they're going to test their cars because they can't do it on North Main Street because there's so much traffic. So, is that going to be in my neighborhood again? I am concerned about the decibel level because on the bottom left of that screen that is my pool and
I can see through everybody's backyard. I can see through the back of the proposed um I can see that property when I sit out in my backyard with my children. Um and um I'm going to bring up the noise thing because that is my quality of life and when I sit outside I
do not want to be hearing those decibel levels. Are there any state um uh regulations? Are there town regulations on what decibel levels can be? There will be eight bays. So, there will be the impact tools. They will be
all of the noise, all of the um uh torque sticks. There'll be all of the compressors, all of those things that make those highle noises times eight. Times eight. Not just a single bay that we're working on cars. and it's going to be facing where I live every single day.
So, that is important for me to bring up. Um, I'm all for businesses. I just think that this is huge loud. It's very loud for where I will will be out in in my yard and it will bring more traffic to my neighborhood, which I have brought up with the town for over 40 some odd
years. My family has and the best they could do is put a sign up that nobody pays attention to on both Rodri and Gerard. Thank you for your >> Thank you. Mr. Paige, something new.
>> Okay, >> good evening. Um, again, my name is Ralph Paige, 137 Peas Road. For full disclosure, I'm a current town counselor and a past planning board chairman. Um, one of the things that concerned me was
the request to possibly move the doors, the bay doors to the front of the building facing North Main Street. Um, if we currently look in our zoning bylaws under Industrial Garden Park, I know it's a different zone, um, but we ask that all garage doors like that be
screened from view, um, plantings put in front to eliminate the sites. Um, and I just don't know why in a business district which is closer to the street, why we would encourage the garage doors to face uh
forwards. um not too uh long ago um transmission shop high-tech transmission was built. Well, it's quite a few years ago now. I'm aging myself. Um but at the time, uh he was looking to do all the garage doors along Summer's Road and
through an agreement with the planning board, it was agreed that he would place one large door on the Lee Street side instead of having all of those face Summers Road. I think this is a similar situation. Um, I think the doors behind the building, uh, work better, work
better with the flow of traffic going in and out. Um, as far as changing from a two directional to a onedirectional, I have no issues with that, as long as you request them to put the parking at a 30 to 45 degree angle, as I've stated
before, so that people don't go the wrong way. Um, I just think uh with this it gives more space in between the parking spaces in the building for the tractor trailer that's going to be coming through once a week. Thank you.
>> So I I'm going to ask the board to indulge me in can we do a fivem minute recess? >> Yeah. >> So can I have a motion to take a fiveminute recess? Second. All in favor say I. I. I. >> Please give me five minutes. Thanks. I want to talk to you guys.
So, let's uh just reiterate that we're looking for new information if at all if at all possible. >> Turn yours off. >> Hello, my name is uh Bill Pride. I live at uh 66 Lasal Street. Uh I have two
questions. Um, one, can we require a traffic study because it seems like traffic is the biggest issue. And I I really, you know, I know they they've come up with their figures, but I think we would feel a lot more comfortable if we had an independent group look at it
and try to figure out, especially with the conditions that we have. You know, if someone's turning left, there's a car might not be able to get passable on the right. suddenly we have a backup of cars. You know, there
seems to be a lot of issues that um a formal or professional uh traffic study would help answer. And then um the second question is why are they only improving part of that street uh and not the whole thing? Is it
I guess I don't understand the um a private way if you just stop and then who owns that other half? Is it privately owned? Who does the um plowing? Is it only going to are they only going to plow back? >> So although I'm not although I'm a
lawyer, I don't know the answer to that. Um Mr. Stratton, do you want to give that a a guess or a >> Sorry. Here. I can actually protect. I think >> I'm not sure I definitively have the answer.
>> So, he he's he's wondering what could be improved on um Lonard. >> I mean, I think to Mr. comments earlier. Um, you could
on the private plan you could make whatever improvements don't impede it. I mean, it could the improvements there's cost to it, but it could continue um all along. I I the risk is that it tends to make it more inviting for other people
to drive on it. and and I think that's the intent behind limiting the improvements at the edge of the um the parking lot, but um additional improvements could theoretically be made. >> So theoretically
they could pay to go to the top whether whether they choose to do so or not. You've noticed on their plan they've decided to go to what would appear to be the edge of their pavement. I connect to that. Yeah. So, is that how
is the private way? Do they own that land? Is that it? Or is it So, I guess I'm I'm wondering why. >> I I will say the town does not own it. >> Okay. >> And the town >> the town doesn't own it and the down the
town is not responsible for plowing or maintaining it. The infrastructure beneath beneath it. >> So, the town is not responsible for the maintenance of that street. >> Okay. So that um so who plows it now or does it just >> private contractor hand
>> all the way? >> The town does. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And they do come down it and maintain the manhole and all of that stuff. >> And I do point it out to them every year where the manhole is. So they do maintain it even though they're not
supposed to. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Um, you know, I hope you consider doing the uh traffic study. >> Thank you. Russ, >> can I ask a question?
>> When you're going to the mic, >> when you're going to improve the the >> question, when you're when you improve the uh the surface, make it hard, you're going to keep the grade consistent all the way up to the corner, aren't you? I mean, it wouldn't make sense if it leave a big hole at the end of tar under the
tar. Joe's job will make sure that Joe is this engineer that we'll have positive drainage. It will be continuous flow. There won't be puddles. >> I think that's what they're concerned about that it'll be tired and a big dip. It'll hold water and all that. You're not going to leave it like that.
>> Absolutely not. And and if if there was a desire to pave a little bit of it to the sewer manhole, we're okay with that. >> Again, like Seth said, you don't want to welcome traffic down there. So, >> thank you
from the top. >> Um, my name is Cind. I've lived on Gerard Avenue 78 years. And uh my question is about the tractor trailers that are going to be making
supply runs in with supplies. Now I'm looking at that map up there and I'm seeing two very distinct corners with parking on uh 3/4 of it and then there's laundry again.
What size tractor trailers are they bringing in that can make that curve? And also, what time of day are they going to be making these? >> So, I will I will guarantee you that as a condition of the site plan, we will
not allow deliveries certainly before 7:00 a.m. or after a certain uh time in the evening. Now, can you also, this is just off the huff, um, can you also more or less have an influence on the hours
of operation >> so that the residents aren't listening to this at at 7:00 at night or 7:00 in the morning? >> So, I think they have I think they have already indicated their hours of operation. Please, please remind me what
they anticipated to be. Monday through Friday, 7 to 7, Saturdays 7 to 6, Sundays 9 to5. >> That's an awful lot of hours. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um, do you have any control over that?
>> No. That was my question. was basically how they were going to get a 55 foot trailer and now go that space if that's what they deliver in or would they be using smaller box trucks or what is the
>> Yeah. So that's really if you think about it it's a it's a business decision that you know they need to decide whether a large tractor trailer will be able to navigate that property. um you know the amount of deliveries
they're going to need. The hours of you know we'll put restrictions on hours of delivery but it's a business decision that they make on how much inventory they need to bring in which will then indicate how side what the size of a tractor trailer or box truck might be
>> or how many times a week they have to do this. >> Yep. Yep. And we will, you know, we require every business that we site plan, we require dumpsters, and the dumpsters need to be um >> enclosed. >> Enclosed. Thank you very much. Uh and maintained. You know, we do spend a lot
of time trying to make sure that a business comes into town that it's kept clean, you know, there's not additional litter in the neighborhood. We do respect all of that for you. >> Okay. And if there ever was an issue with >> so if there so if there is an issue um I
think just for sake of clarity we'll have you call the town manager's office >> and then they can distribute it and they can distribute it to the appropriate department >> and and with respect to noise I know it was mentioned the last meeting there is a noise ordinance in town you know it's
a 1000 p.m. to I want to say 6 a.m. It is. >> Um, so that's what's in place. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Yes. >> If you're answering a question, >> I am.
>> Yes. >> Hello. So, of course, the applicants would respect any um conditions in terms of the hours of delivery, but it is just one tractor truck once per week. >> Per week. One per week. >> 52 visits per year.
>> Okay. Thank you, >> Seth. There's other collections for waste, oil, tires. I don't know what else. >> Oh, you need to uh go ahead. >> Is there going to be other collections
beyond the tire truck? I guess. Okay. >> Did you hear that? The answer was smaller vehicles, you know, tractor trailers. >> This one might be a tough one to answer, but how how much material would be would be on this tractor trailer? How long would it take to offload? Let's say that
would probably depend on the business itself. >> I don't have exact figures for you, but under one hour typical. >> Okay. >> They they usually will just drop it and then we bring it inside as as we're able to. So the drivers our objective is to get out of there as quickly as possible.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> Name and address please. >> That roading place. >> I I didn't hear the address. >> The laundry place. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Me. Hi. >> Oh, yes. >> Um
>> are you are you two daughter and mother? >> Yes. >> Oh, okay. >> Yes. I'm the owner of the house. Um, >> she told you >> since >> I had the pleasure of meeting her and her daughter when I did my uh walk around the property.
>> Yes. And I was concerned because uh we mentioned about a better barrier, bigger trees. Yep. >> So also and uh a wall. >> But um as far as laundry goes, they can pave a
foot, they can pave two feet. Cars are still going to come in and they're going to turn around in front of my house on my grass because it's the way out and it's going to happen because it has happened. It does happen all the time. We get cars that come in and think it's
a driveway through and it's not. So, that's a big concern. Um, I get tired of people pulling up on my lawn and back. You saw where it was. It backs out. And then that grade that they talk about the driveway. That wasn't the road. That
right up right there is what Arty had braided for um the people at the flower flower house to park their cars there. That was a that was a tree belt. So that was all grass. So that's not even the driveway.
>> So let me ask you a question. >> So your concern about cars going up and then turning around? >> Yes. Would that be a concern for any business that was on that property? >> Yes, it would be. >> Okay.
>> Yeah, it would be. Yeah. >> Um I don't know how they're going to, you know, it it looks like put a sign dead end. >> Yeah. So, >> something to that effect. >> So, another thing that um you know, I
should let everybody know. So signage on streets are the purview of the town council. So what we do is we make re we make recommendations to the town and I'm
going to pick on my friend Cassie here. So Cassie lives on >> what? Melwood and when they were redoing the entire high school project, there were people parking the first 5600 ft on
Melwood causing real problems for the residents. We made a recommendation to town council. Town council voted to uh put no parking on there. So, they do respect >> Yes. >> you know, and they can do that. So, >> it's a it's a legitimate request. >> Yes. know um
>> would require you to go to a town council meeting, but you know >> Yeah. >> Um yeah, the other thing is is like I was concerned with um Stacy about the driving because it's a block. >> Very very legit.
>> You don't really need them coming, you know, up and down there because that's a concern, too. >> But like I said, basically the um that's not enough barrier. I mean, little shrubs are not going to, you know, >> they're not going to do it. and um just the entrance of coming in um and
utilizing um they have to the Firestone has to understand that two houses use that driveway. So, you know, we're going to be utilizing that also. So, we don't want to be hindered by, you know,
>> anything which is would be any business. >> Okay, great. >> Thank you. That was it for me. So, I'm going to bring it back to the board because I think we all have um certain issues that we want to discuss with the petitioner. Go
>> ahead. I was going to offer a few >> questions as we get to that. >> Okay. So um uh there was a previous speaker who talked about um when you you had indicated that after you do your
work, this lady right here, what's your name again? >> Sarah McGillicuy. >> Thank you. So Sarah made a very valid point about you had indicated at the last meeting that you test drive your vehicles and that it she did not want that
additional traffic on Rodri. So what would be your alternative so that you don't do that? Can you instruct your employees not to, you know, do that? I mean tell me what you can do as a business here. >> That that was one of the items we were
going to address. So I I would think that regular test driving vehicles in a residential district would be a business use in a residential district that would be subject to zoning enforcement. >> Number one. Number two, they they set a short route and a long route. We could agree as a condition that those routes
be planned outside of any business. >> Okay. >> Who wants next? So, I I will tell you I I am very disappointed that um you were unable to move the building for the bays
to be on the front of North Main Street. I think that would have resolved a lot of issues for people here this evening. So, I I am not going to vote on this this evening until you take a second look at that. And um I think you kind of
left the door open when you said you do have the ability to go back to the ZBA for an additional variance to possibly make that happen. And so I would like you to pursue that. That is something that I think should be done. Um you know
we heard a lot of issues about noise all very legitimate and I think that would go a long way. um on this project. So, Mr. Terrell, did you have >> uh Yeah, sure. I'll jump in. Go ahead.
>> Uh could could I address that point? >> Sure. >> I think you heard um it is possible and I think you heard um the developer state that that is the preference. Um, we're before the ZBA and
heard the town council that that there was feedback that they preferred that not to be the from a business perspective, it's it's better. Um, but communities don't like that. And so
the feedback from we're trying to be reactive to the town to the ZBA. Um, and we heard the town council. So I guess if there we can do whatever the town permits, but
um from a town aesthetic standpoint, the feedback we were getting was that this was the >> So the the feedback was from the zoning board of appeals or from the planning department >> uh from the ZBA. Yes. >> Okay.
All right. So, the other issues, um, my friends who I met the other day. So, um, I was also a little disappointed with three trees to the rear of the property. I don't believe that's sufficient to what we meant with
additional sound barriers. Um so we have been very fond on this board for the last eight years on the idea of very tall arborvites with multiple layers of arborvites. We believe that
the aesthetics are better than a fence. They grow taller than a permanent fence as well. So I personally would like to see uh corrections there uh as well. Um um I I stole your It's
>> okay. Go ahead. >> You run the show not >> No. Go right ahead. >> Um yeah. So I I I'll play both sides kind of like we did uh the last meeting. Uh and I just I just want to remind everybody uh the realtor is not here. At least I can quickly see. uh that the
right of use in this area, gas stations, uh auto body service, uh >> car washes, >> car wash, and many of those were in line to be built, right? And other reasons those f fell through. So, the the
numbers of 30 or so throughout the day in and out uh seem pretty benign to what we could could compare. No, he's right there. Never mind. See him now. uh or what pretty pretty com uh benign compared to what you would imagine uh like FL Roberts gas station looks like
on a Super Tuesday when it's springtime, right? There could be a lot more traffic there. In saying that, um I'm also with you on moving the bays forward and I've seen a lot of these as I've been driving around. I do think it lines up better. My other concern, again, playing both
sides here, is that it's going to move the back the building back tremendously. So for those who live very close to it, >> my concern is maybe now the back of the building is your new neighbor. And is that better or worse? I don't know. Um so if I could ask the group, what
happens in the back of the house at that point, right? Because now you're redesigning the front of the house, everybody comes in the front, >> the bays are in the front, but what happens out back now? And what would the neighbors then see? It may be better and I don't know that. So could you maybe give us an other case scenario? What happens behind the scenes?
>> Yeah. So, so specifically, everyone mentioned the air guns or the compressors or or whatever they use as being the loudest issues. So, if the bays are open to North Main Street, logic, and I don't always use logic,
could would have that that noise would go out onto North Main and not filter to the rear of the property. But if you're doing other things to the rear of the property and as Rob's point, if you're pushing that further back into the neighbors or closer to the
neighbors, you know, is it a give or take and a balancing act? >> And just for me number, I I've been trying to find I apologize. How much further does it move it back? Is it 100 ft or is it how much closer does it get in the second version?
>> And I know it's angled. I can ask you to go to the page number 16. >> That one. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> get your pointer. >> I'm going to make it bigger for you.
>> Stay away at the pointer. >> The pointer. >> Sorry about that. Um so pavement goes back um about 20 ft additional here
20 ft additional here because if you look at the original plan approved by BCA we're not going into this area here and would we be able to park and have our dumpster in the residential zone?
That's not >> Well, what do you do when you park the vehicles back there? Are you just parking and then bringing them around to enter the bay? >> Yeah, the activities here. The the entry to the building is here.
>> So, there would the activity would be, you know, primarily in this area. We do have our enclosure here and we have additional parking to meet uh the parking demand. So that would you know most likely be employee parking in this area but uh the building is going deeper
into the site by 35.7 ft. So 35 ft is the diff distance between that point and this point and the pavement is now 20 foot deeper into the site.
>> Not to mention truck access. >> Yeah. and and Joe was mentioning that the truck axis would you know it's it's still the same still the same movement just closer more more to the south I guess the better way to say
>> yeah so again just to point out the obvious is that's and and I don't know what my thoughts are on it at this point I don't maybe not everybody does but you know now you're looking at a dumpster on a property line employee parking in the back I'm sure people will be in and out of there doing things I I don't know
trash disposal, uh, whatever, and the building's 30 some odd feet back. There's 20 more feet of pavement back. I assume the green barrier gets smaller because there's less room. So, is that an improvement or not? I don't know. Right. So, just the people who live behind it, just consider that. Yeah.
Right. I mean, >> I don't think pass the baton. >> It's not good. >> Oh, why was it a 4ft fence on top of the >> call fence? Yeah, that seems >> unable unbuildable. Oh, really? >> Why did you choose a 4ft fence to be on
top of the barn? >> Six foot fence. Six foot. >> Oh, Joe's telling me I do it. Um, I I think it was the request was screening and buffering. So, we you know, I picked the I picked the >> Firestone. We expected something
magnificent. >> Okay. The certainly not opposed to additional trees, addition a higher fence. >> So, could you you could go to a sixoot fence now? >> Absolutely. Certainly. Yeah. either even eight I mean >> fine tip yeah additional additional
trees are certainly arborites we don't think they really care but I think the arborites would definitely is a definite improvement over trees because as as Russ said we have been encouraging and they they do sell fast growing arrivites >> that will be what mature in less than five years >> oh yeah
>> and you know that goes to a lot to to buffer a lot of the the the noise levels >> yeah we we can look at that I just want mentioned as far as the landscaping there was level of know low low plantings. >> I understand that. I understand that. But we've heard you know we heard oh
it's only a 4ft fence so we're we're reacting to that comment. >> So just for people in the audience and you're not going to like what I'm going to say but I mean it's you've seen what we can address here. You've heard that
this use is an allowed use for that property. So that use can take place on that property. So what we're trying to do is to mitigate as much of the impact on the
neighborhood as we can do within our authority as a planning board. So, your recommendations, I know uh Jason and I'm sorry the I can't remember everybody's name, but the other
individual about the sidewalk and the safety and the signage and you know, all of that recommendation, the recommendation about no test driving on Rodri, those were fabulous, just really, really good ideas for us to determine
what we can put on as conditions on approval of the site plan. So that has been really really helpful to all to all of us here on this board. So I want to thank everybody for your great recommendations.
So board members, I I I personally would like them to take another crack at the ZBA if necessary. Myself, maybe other members of the board could go to the ZBA meeting with you. give them our thoughts
on why we believe it should, you know, be, you know, fronting North Main Street. I mean, North Main Street, that entire distance is commercial uses. And if there's a way to mitigate that noise issue by having it face North Main
Street, I mean, I'm just one member of this board. I think it's an appropriate use to do it that way. I agree. >> Could Mr. manager. Do you think that that could be arranged?
>> What? >> Okay. A meeting soon. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Mr. Chair, I think you just touched on what would be one of our concerns is the >> time to market the process. There's this
properties under agreement and so um >> the more meetings we have that, you know, the longer it takes. I I think the applicant would be certainly open to a condition >> if the facing main street is the noise >> at 35
>> the perceived noise a condition that the doors be closed all the time um would be another potential solution that wouldn't involve spinning the building and going back for more variances I if the and could it also address the
aesthetic concern about North Main street. Um we we would be open to that condition of the doors being closed during operations. >> Something for us to consider. >> Yeah.
>> Um and a few other pieces we we just want to we agree with you that some of the comments were um helpful. Um we would be open to a condition that it's a continuous sidewalk. we would be open to a condition to reduce um the turning
radius to the um minimum for vehicles and have drive over curbs for the one time a week that a a truck comes. Um uh I think in terms of the we al we already mentioned the residential district um test drive routes that don't
go in residential districts. Um, I wanted you mentioned it, but certainly there there aren't noise um requirements, testable requirements in the zoning ordinance for this use. There is a noise ordinance and the um the town
bylaw. Um, you certainly have to comply with that. We'll have to continue to um typically you wouldn't make that a condition, but if you want to make it a condition that we comply with the noise ordinance, that's fine. I think the um concerns about kind of trespass on
property, private nuisance, private trespass, any individual will always maintain rights if there you know your this board's approval of this project does not trump individual rights with respect to private nuisance or private
trespass. Um, and then just on that comment about the uh another traffic study, I um I think the we've heard a lot about traffic. We understand traffic is an issue on North Main Street. This is one of the least
intensive uses for that particular site based on trip counts. And and why is that? That is because you schedule appointments. People they have a certain number of appointments the day. people come, they drop their cars off, they
leave. It's not um and and it's spread, it's structured throughout the day. So, I think um doing another traffic study to show that it's one of the least intensive permitted uses doesn't serve,
you know, the best interests here. Hey, one quick follow-up question. And I know this was answered before, but for the benefit of everybody here who wasn't here the last time, what is the average length of time for a a change over of four tires? >> One hour.
>> Hour. >> The answer was 1 hour. >> Time for a tire all the time. I go, I buy it. I go and I buy it. I sit there for an hour. Not 15 minutes, not two hours. >> No, that's why I wanted for the benefit
of everybody. such a time, >> right? I know it was asked before. I just wanted to have it reiterated. You're looking at an hour per appointment. >> We understand that. >> We understand that. >> I'm talking about the main business, the main
the main thing that they're going to be doing is tire changeovers, selling of tires. Everything else is just like, "Hey, can you change my oil while you got the the car up in the air?" Things like that. I'm sure that can happen. I think that I don't with as many service
stations in the area, I'm not sure how many oil changes are going to be scheduled at Firestone. This is my opinion. Okay. But I understand that. Hey, can you do me a favor while you got the car up in the air and change my oil? The quick answer to that is probably going to be yes because what's that take? Another 15 minutes maybe. So that
that's what I mean. So I just wanted to get it out there how long the average job takes to complete. >> Thank you. Yeah, to kind of come full circle on this. So, I I think as we were just discussing here, I think we would like for the the group to make an attempt
with the ZBA. Um I you know, again, I don't think we're putting too much of a burden on the Firestone company to take a shot at this. I think it would fit better for all of our opinions if it was facing the other way. Just looking around the room, there's a lot of heads nodding that they agree even if it was
closer to their property line. I still think the bays facing the other way would be the best option for us. Um, so again, I guess we would implore that the board would also be happy to try to help and explain our position on how that would fit and how that would be feel a little bit better for us. Um, I I think
that solves a lot of the problems if we can go that route. >> And I do believe Mr. Shatton, you indicated that that would be the preferred position of Firestone. >> Correct. >> That is typically the um preferred position. I I I think well I don't want
to speak for John. I I I do want to highlight and I'll let him address this but a good point was made by spinning it around. I mean there was a nice image up there with some um landscaping a lot of the landscaping planted up front. Um it
would change it would limit grass would limit any plantings from Main Street. Um, if we were to do that, >> you know, you you you can't get everything you hope for. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. If you could go to piece uh page
number 14. So the north elevation is what's facing North Main Street. So that that that's made out to have a street presence. So it's it's that's not typically the back of the building. So we we went to Great
Lakes because we know that we're facing North Main Street. So flipping it around then the south elevation has the bay doors that that would be what's facing North Main Street. Um generally, you know, we work with Firestone a lot.
Their general preferred layout is to have the doors facing the street because it's I think it's better marketing. It's better Hey, look, you know, you >> we're busy. >> Yeah. Well, yeah. Right. It's it's That's what we do. Um, but a lot of communities want it the other way with
the bay doors facing the back because you you get a nice elevation on facing North Main Street. Um, so, you know, we we could look at it. It would, you know, obviously delay things. U, but again, you're you're pushing the building back
35.7 ft and your pavement about 20 ft. >> And typically, I would agree with you. I think if this was any other zone or it's a unique property, right? And I think we all understand that. And I think having the ability to move it away from the residential where if this was somewhere else, maybe it would make more sense for the town. But I think for the sake of
the people um as a compromise, um you know, we can't get everything we want, right? We're not going to get a larger green barrier, but we're going to get the door space in a better way. So they may have to look at the back of the building with less barrier, but at least the doors are going, right? So it's it's it feels like a little bit more of a
compromise if we can look at this. We were also hoping that with the condition that we operate with the door closed because what what does that accomplish by moving having the doors face the street, it's the concern about noise. >> Um and so if we operate with the doors
closed, isn't that taking care of the concern >> about noise? >> Careful. Yeah, be careful. >> Um because >> do you really want me to com comment on that? Careful. I I just find that to be um I I doubt I
do not doubt that you would try to make every effort to make that happen. However, human nature I would suspect would trump that. >> That's just my opinion. So, but and even if you make it a condition, you know, of
the permit or of the site plan, I just think human nature would trump that. But if for some reason the ZBA is not willing to change um we may come to that. So but to follow up on Russell's
point even if you operate with the doors closed when you open that if you open one door at one particular time you're going to be open opening and closing all those doors. You're going to hear the noise. It's just human nature. And
there's like and I'll pile on to everybody else. You're not going to get everything you want. That's not the nature of it. But we're just trying to find that happy medium right now and we're still searching >> and we realize what our restrictions are. We realize that this is an allowed use and we're just trying to make the
best use >> because we have heard from the residents and we're listening to them. >> Mr. Paige, as a as a member of the town council, I I'll give you this leeway. >> Um, actually, if you go back to page 17,
I just had a quick question. So my question is on um if this pull up >> I don't think it's buildable >> on the back side of the building is that blue line actually the zone line. >> Yes. >> That's between residential and business. >> Yes.
>> So my issue is the parking spaces become uh in the residential zone which under our bylaw is not an allowed use. Right. >> You can't have business parking in a residential zone. We would put this on Bond Avenue where they wanted to turn a
residential lot into a parking lot and it's not an allowed use under our zoning bylaw. So, not only would they need to go back for a variance, but then they would have to go for a zone change of that residential parcel to a business parcel.
So when we were talking to the board of zoning officials, you >> know, our variance was from that setback line from that zoning setback line. If >> this were reszoned to business
and that variance would go away. So >> what's what's the width of the building? all the sex bags, but not the actual width of the building. >> It's I think it's 50. >> Mr. Paige, can I ask you to come back and just reiterate what you just said,
please? because it looks like you've thrown a hand grenade into the point. >> Not a point. >> Louder, please. >> My point is a residential zone cannot be used whether it be a dumpster in it,
whether it's business. >> So the dark the dark blue line is the different >> start of the residential zone. And looks like they have what we do, three, four and a half parking spots that would be in it. They would have dumpster in it
which is all business uses which are not allowed in residential zones. Hence they would have to go for a zone change on that which a previous applicant uh brought in front of us and it was denied. And the reason it was denied is
because um the council felt as though we needed that buffer zone that extra residential to help the neighbors to protect them um to keep the business farther away. Sorry, >> I'm not going to invite you to my party,
my next party. >> All right, where do we go? >> So, members of the board, >> I I think that we're stuck with Can you >> speak into the microphone, please? Take that. >> I think that we're stuck with the doors closed. The employees will then be
working in an air conditioned space which I hate with with windows looking out at the at the wall out back. A six foot minimum planting size 6T green giant arborites and a sixoot fence. >> Yeah.
>> You got anything? >> That would be all right with me. >> Yeah, I got a lot. >> Um I'm with you on Cass. >> Why why don't they turn it around? the condition that the doors have to be closed >> and they go >> well, but it we understand that >> we understand that that you have to open and close them, but you also you also
have to understand that what Mr. Paige said is they're going to have to have a zone change and they're going to be closer to your house with the building with the with the trailer truck and with the traffic. >> All these move to the front. >> And under their first proposal, remember
the doors were all open. It was brought up that we can can we close the doors. So, this is going to mitigate some of the with the improvements that Pete just mentioned about a six-foot fence, the fast growing herbivites, and the doors closed. It's going to mitigate a lot of that noise as opposed to the original
proposal of a 4ft fence, three trees, and the doors open. Again, I'm going to go back to we don't always get everything we want. >> Hours of operation are again, just for the record, >> Monday through Friday, 7 to 7. Saturday
7 to 6, Sunday 9 to 5. >> Okay. So that would be one condition. The condition is they operate uh at all times with the door with the bay doors closed. >> Right. >> That there be uh two additional layers
of uh Mr. Paige I need your help again. Where are you Mr. Paige? What are the >> giant green giant? >> What are what are the names of the fast growing arborites? Green Giant. >> Green Giant. >> That there be a minimum of two rows of
Green Giant 6ft arbor vitees to the rear of the property closest to the residence on >> sixoot fence. >> Yeah. Yeah. And a six foot fence. >> Solid fence. >> Solid fence. >> Solid fence. >> No. No.
No test driving of vehicles of any kind on Rodri Street. um >> in the neighborhood >> in a residential zone. >> In the residential neighborhood. >> So there's been a suggestion that there
be no uh test driving on residential streets. >> Yeah. >> I don't So would someone want to define residential street? >> I think >> you guys there are houses on North Main Street. >> No, I think you said residential zone.
>> Residential zone. driving. >> There you go. >> There you go. That works. Do you want to come sit with us for a >> Okay. No test driving on secondary streets inbound, which just so everyone
knows will add additional parking to North Main or additional traffic to North Main Street. So, it's one or the other. I think people here would prefer there'd be no additional traffic generated by this business on secondary streets. So, residential
streets. >> Russ. >> Yes. >> Why would we recommend a dead end sign for laundry? >> Yeah. >> You recommend that to the town council. Dead end question. Oh, and and I hope the gentleman is still here who talked about um the sidewalk
and the issues associated with um >> I believe he left. >> He left. I think he did. >> ADA compliant is basically I think what his one of his main points was ADA compliant.
>> We can show the sidewalk home through the driveway entrance. Okay. And then we can recommend striping longer drain place because that's Yeah. road. >> Yeah, definitely. Also some cautionary signs uh making it clear that there's pedestrian traffic. >> Yeah.
>> Again, no delivery of of equipment nor trash pickup shall occur on the site earlier than 7 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. Dumpsters on the site shall be screened for view and fenced in at all times.
All lighting and light fixtures shall be downcast so as not to spill over into any residential properties. These are all on the former director's uh notes that he had.
>> Rob, did you want to add something else? >> Are we all set? >> I mean, we still want to go back to this cuz I there's some comments. >> We never found out how white the building was. We never found out how wide the building was. >> Still have some thoughts on this. Go ahead.
>> Want to finish that? >> I I think those were the conditions that we heard. >> Mr. Terrell, >> back to me again. >> Um, so again, just hear me out, right? I And I I I'm not trying to rake you guys over
the coals on this. I So why does the building turn when it's set back? building's on an angle when it's set back, but it's straight across when it's up front. Is there a thought behind that? And the reason I asked that question where I'm heading with this is it makes a big difference in the back if
the building's straight or if you need to leave it like that, you're basically the same amount of parking spots. And I and I unfortunately we don't have our Rob with us today to help us figure this out, but >> parking spots seem like they're enough. Maybe they're not. um if you just delete
those four in the back and move the dumpster, right? So, it feels like we could move that line and I I would imagine that's 20 plus feet behind the building to the line. So, you could still get a tractor trailer through there. Additionally, you now circle the building, right? Cuz now there's driving all around. So,
again, I'm talking out loud. seems like a one way in, one way out, even if somebody got lost, could still come off and go oops and turn right instead of getting stuck having to turn around and be backwards. Right? So again, when you set the building back, even if it doesn't turn, which I'm not sure why it
does, you could delete those line those parking spots in the dumpster in the back. Move that away. Stay within your line, your variance. It gives better access around the building. I still think you got enough parking spots. I mean, I'm not trying to redesign this for It just it feels like it flows a lot better in the second
design. Maybe I'm wrong. >> Yeah, we kept the building parallel with North Main Street. Parking and the building all parallel with North Main Street. So that's a typical typical configuration is to have the front wall
of the building be parallel with the main with the street. That's why >> that's why we did it the way we did it. >> All right. So, if you leave it, I mean, would you be opposed to taking out those four spots in the back and then just using the side over as as it was in more
in the first one and moving the dumpster? Right. That gets you out of the the zoning issue and it still puts the bays in the right way. >> We still have a zoning issue because we have to seek bigger variances. So, we still have to go back to ZDA. >> Yeah. No, I agree.
>> We would have to go for a reasonzoning. Uh I I'd have to look at I don't know what that distance is right there. I think we're trying to pull it out of where Ralph was going with the the big issue of going into the residential zone. >> Yeah. >> You the setback is is what it is, right? And I think that's what we're looking at. But to get it out of there,
>> and not to mention now you can drive across the front, down the sides, around back, both entrances, the flow is better. Feels like you could even one way it people won't get stuck. >> Yeah. >> Door space the right way. Then people don't have a hopefully a dumpster on the line, right? We could find a better spot
for that. But again, it just feels like it could be made better. >> Yeah. Again, we we we we thought I thought that this, you know, with operating with the door closed that this option wasn't a good option because of
the 35 and 1/2 ft deeper into the site, 20 foot deeper with pavement uh going into the residential zone. So, if you're asking us to go back and look at it again, >> I'd open that. >> Go back to the drawing board.
>> We could I'd prefer a vote on >> on on our plan as submitted with the conditions that were presented. >> Why didn't you make it parallel to begin with? >> Those are my thoughts. Well, >> we made it parallel to begin with because that
>> Hold on. Pete asked a question. >> I'm sorry. I was asked by Mr. Pund. >> Right. So I I didn't hear the question from Mr. >> Why didn't he make they make it parallel to begin with? >> Thank you. >> Yeah, but >> Oh, no. >> It's a good question.
>> I I think I'd have to go back, but it might have been when we were originally started with the ZDA, >> we were par we were parallel with um >> and then we we we we turned the building. Um so if you go to >> Well, just look at
>> Yeah. If you go to sheet number 16, >> it's been a couple of months since we went to BZ ZBA, but um yeah, this wasn't parallel. I think it was originally parallel and the concern was the the
building being so close to Landregan Place. So then we rotated it so that it wasn't u it was in this alignment. So we did have >> all right. You know we saw we see it now where it's too close. >> So um some direction from the board.
Do you wish to close the public hearing? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Would someone make a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> So there's a motion made and seconded to close the public hearing. All in favor say I. >> I.
>> So now a as we so for the audience so we are required to make an affirmative um motion. And so what that would mean is someone would make a motion to approve the findings which we'll discuss the
conditions which we'll discuss and then the actual site plan. So someone has to make a motion said I would I make a motion to approve the findings consistent with the town's bylaws. So then we either vote in the affirmative or the negative. So just put it out
there that's the required procedure for us to use an affirmative motion on this. Right? >> So the findings on this project uh on the planning director's report are under number five. findings are on
page three of five. So essentially those are the things that you see up there. So I'll just quickly read the headings. Protection of the abuing properties and community to minimize any detrimental use of the site. We if we vote
affirmatively, we would say that we've take appropriate steps convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site and the relationship to adjoining ways and properties. We believe that that has been met.
Adequacy of the methods of disposal of sewage and refues and the drainage of surface and subsurface water. We believe that's been addressed. Adequate means of protecting wetlands, wersheds, aquifers, and well areas. Uh it does not appear to be near any of any of these resource
areas. Provisions for off- streetet loading and unloading of vehicles inal to the normal operation of the establishment. Parking, lighting, and internal traffic control. We either agree or don't disagree or we don't agree. Provision of open space
consistent with the town master plan concepts. We've talked to them about new landscaping and plantings are to be included additional beyond their provision or their plans that they've provided us. Um the layout of design features such as
vegetative buffers within development which will integrate into the existing landscape. Again, we just discussed that uh compliance with provisions of uh mass general law 48 and subdivision control law, the rules and regulations of state
and federal agencies and the bylaws of the town of Esawan metal. The project complies. Um so additional draft conditions, the decision of the planning board is to be recorded to hand county registry of deeds. If applicable, prior to the commencement of construction and
operations, all required permits must be in proper order and provided to the town's building commissioner, fire department, police department, department of public works, and the board of health for review and acceptance. The planning board shall have the authority to modify, amend, or review
its approval of the site plan review upon written application of the owner, lei or zoning enforcement officer. Provided, however, that such action is consistent with the purpose and intent of the town of Islam Meadow zoning bylaws and a public hearing has been
held. The site shall be constructed, altered, or used only in conformance with the approved plans of the site plan review. Any changes to the plans approved under the site plan review approval shall require the applicant to file an
amendment to the site plan review or to inquire with the planning department in writing whether the change is substantial enough to require a new filing and hearing. The site plan review approval granted under this section shall lapse after a period of one year
has passed if substantial use has not sooner commenced uh for good cause or in case of a permit for construction if construction has not begun by such date except for good cause. Um so we'll start with those. Do I have
a motion to approve those findings? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Mr. Conderson, you look >> for the condition that the additional landscaping is included in that. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Second. >> Second.
>> Motion made and second. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> So, we've laid out all the specific conditions that we wish to put on this applicant. Do I have a motion to approve
all those conditions? So moved. Second. >> Motion made and second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> So as to the overall site plan petition
with the findings and the comments. Do I have a motion to approve? >> So this will approve the whole thing. >> Approve the entire thing. Yep. >> I want to kick it. >> Huh? >> You want to? >> We got to make the motion first. >> You tell me. All right. So moved for
>> So a motion made and seconded. >> Purpose of discussion. >> For the purposes of discussion. >> This is to approve the whole thing. >> Yes. >> Before I >> You You have the right to approve it, the right to deny it, the right to
continue the hearing because we've not the hearing. >> Yes, we did. >> Oh, we did? Okay. All right. >> Yeah. >> I just want to make a comment. I wish you picked a different spot. >> I really do. >> But I appreciate your willingness to go
along with the planning board and to take into consideration the comments made by the good citizens of of the town. >> My concern is we're going to open up to their res >> and and I too, you know, people have, you know, referenced, you know, they don't have anything
against business and moving into town. They just don't believe Firestone is an appropriate spot for that location. Under the town bylaws, it's an allowed use. It is that use is allowed for that spot. I believe we've done the very best
we can. We've certainly addressed some of our concerns, not all of them. I, you know, I think you've heard that we would prefer, you know, the building being somewhere else, but we understand there are restrictions that we can't remove as as this board. um
you know you've been willing to take on these additional conditions which you know I thank you uh you know the neighbors have come out and full have given in some really wonderful suggestions on how to make it at least a little more I'm not saying fully palatable to them but a little more
palatable to them so I I thank you for for at least doing that but >> so so and just to cl again I've I made my position I I I think from what we all felt um knowing Knowing that this is a right of use, we understand that and we're not trying to be difficult. You
even said that it's the preferred Firestone way to have the doors facing the road. Um I will ask before we do this, is there any interest on your end to visit that with a serious proposal? It does feel like it can be done should
you want to. Um but I guess it falls to you. I'll ask you guys. >> A lot of >> again it's your preferred method as you had said. >> A lot of process a lot of it's too much. I just want them to say >> um I I I prefer that we take a vote tonight
on the application as submitted. Um I do think with the conditions that we're placing particularly with the doors uh closed while they're operating and I I've been at stores like this and that, you know, all eight bays aren't working. So you open a door, you pull the car
out, you know, the the the bay the chances of the the working on a tool on the next bay. It is they're not every bay is not being open. So I think the times when the doors open, it's closed right away. Um I I think I think that
condition addresses the noise issue. So I >> I would appreciate voting on it. Estimate >> when I made my comment, it was under ideal circumstances with all eight bays going at once, >> which I understand is probably practically impossible
>> unless something really crazy happens. That was what I was referring to. In an ideal situation with all eight bays going at once and one door opens, you're going to hear all the noise. But to your point, it's probably never going to happen or very rarely. I don't want to
say never, but very rarely are all eight bays going to be going at the same time doing tire changes. >> I guess a final thought. >> Are there any other possible ways that you can mitigate the noise besides the doors being closed like soundproofing
within the building? >> We can't do that. >> No, no, no, no, no. Somebody said >> we've never done it, so I'd have to look at look at it. You know, I don't know if our, you know, the building is a substantial building. So, we've got, you
know, it's not a a metal building where you've got, you know, nothing on the inside. This is a substantial building with, >> you know, yeah, full ins fully insulated. I guess one thing I could look at is maybe the doors themselves, they are insulated. Whether there's a
more of a soundproof or, you know, I could look at that. Uh, so if you want to make that a condition, I I don't even know if that exists, but if you want to make that a condition that I we reviewed that and evaluate it and and submit to the staff our findings
have to do that. >> Any other discussion from the board? So there's been a motion made and seconded to approval with the findings, the conditions, and the overall project. So >> a new one about them looking at the soundproofing >> and and looking at the soundproofing. >> Yeah. Yeah. All in favor say I. I.
>> I. >> This matter passes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So we have additional business. Um we have no new business, no old business. Other business planning director's report. Are you filling in, Rebecca?
>> Filling in. Uh position is posted and we are receiving applications. >> Thank you. And uh due to the fact that we do not have a current planning director on staff, um after discussion with Tom Christensen, uh for the
foreseeable future, we will try to meet once a month. >> Okay. >> So, our next meeting would be August 4th. >> Sounds good. >> I do have something to say. >> Yeah. I would like the board I would like the board to move forward as possible to to uh end the uh
industrial zone in the town of the whole town. Also prevent something like this happening again. When you have a project that is in the commercial and business area that is clo uh is uh 300 ft closer than 300 ft away from a residential
property that goes under special permit. that would have stopped this whole process. So I think we should discuss that and look at that. Great. >> All right. Thank you. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Second. Second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Thank you.