March 12, 2024
Present: Christine Chinni, Mark Lockwood, Eric Myers, Robert Lavitt, Steven Muller, Eric Lukingbeal, Meg Jabaily, Director of Community Development Abigail Kenyon and Land Use Coordinator Renee Deltenre
Application seeking a Site Plan Modification and Special Permit under Zoning Regulations Section 3.5.4.3 for three storage structures, outdoor commercial activity/display, and other site improvements for a property located at 563 Salmon Brook Street, C2 Zone.
Applicant and property owner Jan Kahn of New England Pine Timber Company discussed revisions to the proposed site plan. The applicant is no longer seeking approval for an 80 x 40 storage structure to the rear of the property. The revised site plan indicated areas for outdoor storage and display, milling, product waste, log storage, fencing, landscaping berms and the placement of two 13 x 20 temporary carports. Kahn’s business plan outlined hours of operation, trash management and a description of the overall activities.
Kenyon requested more information specific to the days and hours when outdoor milling would occur. Kahn said that outdoor milling is weather dependent between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on days the business is open to the public and is meant for larger products that cannot fit inside the building. When equipment is not in use or off-site, it would be stored in the temporary carports. The proposed display areas would display equipment and products for sale: e.g., log splitters, conveyors, excavator attachments, wood slabs, etc.
Commission members asked about the potential noise generated by outdoor milling, the number and frequency of bringing logs on-site, references made to stump removal and the use of temporary carports versus permanent structures.
Kahn indicated that he is still in the process of cleaning up the site and has stumps that need to be removed, and no additional stumps would be brought on-site. Approximately 20-30 logs would be delivered at a time and the milling equipment utilizes a 28-horsepower Kohler engine, which Kahn stated was quieter than a leaf blower.
Public Comment
Paula Johnson, 289 Simsbury Road, asked if the business would process and sell firewood as it was mentioned in the original application.
Kahn indicated that was an error, and no firewood would be processed or sold on-site.
The commission recommended that the applicant work with town staff on modifying the site plan to address concerns identified this evening. The public hearing was continued to the next regular meeting (March 26, see below).
Application seeking a Site Plan Modification for property located at 13 East Granby Road to construct a parking lot and connect to the parking lots at 4 Park Place and 17R East Granby Road, COCE.
The property has an existing single-family home and detached garage to the rear. It abuts 17R East Granby Road where @ the Barn Restaurant is located, as well as 4 Park Place where Grassroots is located. Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor Ed Lally discussed the application to expand the parking lot for @ the Barn into the lawn area to the rear of the house at 13 East Granby Road and to connect to the parking lot at Grassroots.
Two variances were received by the Zoning Board of Appeals in November 2023 to accommodate the required lot line revision necessary to facilitate the additional parking for 17R East Granby Road, as parking lots are not an accessory use to a single-family home. Specifically, 10,987 square feet from 13 East Granby Road will be added to 17R East Granby Road once the lot line revision is filed in the town land records. The site plan proposes the addition of 24 parking spaces and would provide interconnectivity between 2 Park Place, 4 Park Place, 11 East Granby Road and 17R East Granby Road. The property owner is proposing a shared parking agreement whereby all property owners would be able to utilize the parking spaces.
It was noted that even with the removal of two spaces on 4 Park Place for the proposed driveway, there is more than enough parking to comply with the zoning regulations for the current uses of all properties that would be subject to the shared parking agreement. Lally discussed the replacement of the failing stormwater management system, lighting plan, landscaping plan, snow storage, etc. Kenyon ran through staff comments and noted corrections necessary to Sheet 1, as well as the metal light pole height and the submittal of a photometric plan. The commission discussed whether the proposed lighting would be adequate.
There was no comment during the public hearing.
The commission voted (7-0-0) to approve the application contingent upon addressing, to the satisfaction of staff, the four comments outlined in the Feb. 29 memorandum to the planning and zoning commission from the director of community development.
March 26, 2024
Present: Eric Lukingbeal, Paula Johnson, Eric Myers, Robert Lavitt, Brennan Sheahan, Meg Jabaily and Steven Muller, Director of Community Development Abigail Kenyon and Land Use Coordinator Renee Deltenre
Application seeking a Site Plan Modification and Special Permit under Zoning Regulations Section 3.5.4.3 for three storage structures, outdoor commercial activity/display, and other site improvements for a property located at 563 Salmon Brook Street, C2 Zone
Applicant and property owner Jan Kahn said cleanup has continued and approximately half of the logs stored at the rear of the site have been removed. The commission discussed at length concerns with the window of time proposed for outdoor milling each day when the business is open. With a need for flexibility due to weather and other business operations, it was recommended that the applicant operate for no more than one hour per day during a set timeframe.
After reviewing the revised site plan, the commission discussed the potential for a site walk in order to get a better understanding of how the business will operate in relation to the site. The commission recommended that the applicant collaborate with staff to button-up the site plan and begin arranging the site to demonstrate how the proposed site plan will function.
Public Comment
Jeff Salinardi, 17 East Street, stated that he has no issues with the operation(s) proposed; however, he expressed concern that the site might not be appropriate for the use. He stated that there are still many unanswered questions and recommended that the commission visit the abutting residential neighborhood on Sawmill Road.
The public hearing was continued. The commission will visit the site on April 8 (see below).
Commissioner Reports and Correspondence
Lavitt attended the CRCOG Regional Planning Commission meeting on March 21 and reported that CRCOG is seeking pictures of historical landmarks and people from numerous towns, including Granby, and is finalizing the 2024 Regional Plan of Conservation and Development.
April 8, 2024
Present: Eric Lukingbeal, Paula Johnson, Robert Lavitt, Steven Muller and Brennan Sheahan, Director of Community Development Abigail Kenyon.
The commission conducted a site visit at 563 Salmon Brook Street to gain understanding of the application seeking a Site Plan Modification and Special Permit for three storage structures, outdoor commercial activity/display, and other site improvements. The applicant, Jan Kahn, showed the attendees the front of the property where the proposed outdoor display area would be located, indicating where a stockade fence would be installed to screen the storage area to the rear of the site.
Commissioners walked the side and rear of the site, observing where the outdoor log storage area, finished and semi-finished product display area, and temporary storage structures would be located. They observed the location where the stockade fence would be replaced to buffer the residential houses behind the property, saw the location of the woodchip berm, which has been installed, and noted that the height of the log storage area currently on site exceeds eight feet. It was noted that a current additional log storage area would be the area for semi-finished and finished product display as shown on the site plan.
Kahn operated the sawmill so the commissioners could hear and see the operation in action from various vantage points. It was noted that trailers used by the business were parked in the front of the building and there was other equipment for sale in areas that did not coincide with what was shown on the site plan.