Newtown Planning & Zoning Commission held a meeting on Thursday, May 7 to discuss two applications. Application 26.05 for 3 Taunton Ridge Road was denied; following the denial, the commission then discussed application 26.07 by 149 Mount Pleasant for a site development plan at 149 Mt Pleasant Road for a 4,400 square foot retail building with associated parking and amenities.

Engineer Dainus Verbickas represented applicant Tom Nejame at the meeting. The lot is a 1.12-acre parcel between Taunton Wine & Liquor and Newtown Power Equipment. Verbickas added, “The front, or north, portion of the property sits down lower than the road, kind of set down and pretty level. In the center of the property is Pogond Brook, which bisects the property, and then the southern portion of the property rises up rather abruptly from Pogond Brook.”

Verbickas explained that the property has gone through the Inland Wetlands Commission at least three times and never made it to P&Z due to the floodway associated with the brook. Verbickas said it takes on quite a bit of water and the box culvert that conveys water on the property “was severely undersized.” In the 80s, the culverts were replaced, which provided relief in terms of flooding.

Verbickas then explained that the proposed building would be “positioned centrally” on the northern half of the parcel and be raised to match the elevation of Mt Pleasant Road. This would include a seven to nine foot tall retaining wall along the flood line.

The project would require 22 parking spaces, which Verbickas included in the plan. It also has access to public water and sewer according to the 1978 plans. Verbickas added that the stormwater management system has been designed to handle a 100-year, 24-hour storm.

Rosen then asked if there was a way to access the back of the building. Verbickas said all deliveries would have to be made in the front because of the retaining wall. Rosen then asked if the building would be “purely retail” and how it would be divided.

Nejame said it would be “really one to maybe three” units.

Alternate Commissioner Charlie Gardner asked what the distance between the retaining wall and the stream is. Verbickas replied “about eight feet.”

Rosen asked about trash storage on the property, raising concerns about the stream. Verbickas said it would be located around the side.

Alternate Commissioner Jill Soderholm asked about the material for the retaining wall. Verbickas replied it would be concrete.

Gardner then asked if the wall would be tapered or vertical, and Nejame said he likes to see walls “tapered slightly.” Gardner asked if it would be poured or block concrete wall, and Nejame said he was not sure yet. Gardner asked if there would be any drainage through or over the wall. Verbickas said there will not be anything through the wall, and all drainage will follow similar patterns as it does now, with the stormwater management system taking care of the parking lot.

Verbickas said, “We’re managing all of our stormwater runoff so that we’re not impacting any of our neighbors, and we’re reducing any runoff that would go to Pogond Brook, and basically managing all the water on our half-acre of parcel that we’re working with.”

Rosen asked Deputy Director of Planning & Land Use Steve Maguire if the application was complete. Maguire said the application was complete and he did not see anything that was missing. Rosen then invited members of the public to comment on the application, of which there were none.

There was then a brief discussion about the total impervious area of the lot and what is allowable under a B-2 zone, which this property falls under. Verbickas informed the commission that it complies with the regulations.

Rosen then asked for a motion to vote on the application. The motion passed unanimously. Following the acceptance of meeting minutes, the commission went into executive session to discuss the Vessel Technologies appeal.

=====

Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.