MANSFIELD DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP

PLANNING AND DESIGN COMMITTEE

Mansfield Downtown Partnership Office

1244 Storrs Road

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

MEETING NOTES

Members:       Steve Bacon, Leon Bailey, Laurie Best, Manny Haidous, Chris Kueffner, Peter Millman, Ruth Moynihan, Betsy Paterson

Guests:           Tom Cody, Macon Toledano

Staff:               Cynthia van Zelm

1.         Call to Order

Steve Bacon called the meeting to order at 5:10 pm.

2.         Public Comment

There was no public comment.

3.         Map Amendment to the Mansfield Zoning Regulations for Storrs Center Special Design District

Mr. Bacon reminded the Committee that they had seen an earlier version of the map amendment at a prior meeting.  It has not changed substantially, and is ready to go to the Board, with input from the Planning and Design Committee.

Mr. Toledano said the team has continued to work with Town Planning Director Greg Padick and the Town’s Traffic Authority.  They are focusing on health and safety issues.  Several notes have been added to the plans at the Traffic Authority’s request.

Tom Cody said that Mr. Padick wanted more detail in the applications so the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Planning and Design Committee, and the Partnership Board of Directors understand clearly the intent of the amendments.  There is some detail that would normally be added at the site plan stage but due to the change in the approval process of site plans (with the Commission not part of the approval), the Traffic Authority wanted more detail up front.  An example would be the location of fire hydrants, which would normally be left to the site plan approval stage.  Betsy Paterson noted that if the detail made the Commission more comfortable with approval, the time spent would be well worth it.

Mr. Cody referred to the three main studies as part of the application – traffic, storm water, and design guidelines.

Mr. Cody said that since parking will be such a crucial issue, the Town wanted a high level of insight into the amount of parking, cost, etc., so the Town hired a parking consultant.  He was pleased to report that the Town’s consultant and Leyland’s team agree on the assumptions with respect to parking and this is a huge accomplishment.

Mr. Toledano said there had been no changes to the storm water plan since it was last discussed with the Committee.  It has gone to the CT Department of Environmental Protection for their initial staff review.

With respect to parking, the Town’s consultant Tighe and Bond, felt that there needed to be an increase in some of the base parking factors i.e., cars per unit of residential and commercial development.  However, they concluded with Desman (Leyland’s consultant) that there should be more walkers to the new development.

Tighe and Bond also wanted to see enough of a reserve of parking.  They proposed assuming that the parking will be at 90% of capacity.

Tighe and Bond also recommended periodic recalibration of the parking numbers – a reevaluation of the appropriate number of spaces as phases are built.  A survey of the users (who is using the parking – students, persons shopping, etc.) has been suggested.

Ruth Moynihan suggested that there would be an overflow from people who want to park on campus.

Mr. Cody said another reason to factor in a higher reserve is that it gives a cushion if parking demand increases in five years.

Manny Haidous asked if the team was prepared to address questions about proposed parking on Storrs Road.  Mr. Toledano said that traffic calming is the goal.  He noted a study that UConn traffic engineer professor Norman Garrick conducted that concluded that traffic calming including parking on streets helps to decrease accidents.  They hope to bring Mr. Garrick on their team to address this issue.

Ms. Paterson said that she would like the CT Department of Transportation (DOT) to understand the high number of young people in town that are often out late at night.  There is a new DOT Commissioner who she believes is willing to look at new solutions to traffic.

Mr. Haidous said he is concerned with the traffic on Storrs Road and hopes that the Town will be involved with all the discussions on Storrs Road.

Mr. Bacon asked if the Planning and Zoning Commission would be aware of Tighe and Bond’s role as peer review for the Town.  Cynthia van Zelm and Mr. Cody replied in the affirmative.  Mr. Cody said the Leyland team retained a professional arms length from Tighe and Bond so their analysis would be objective.

Mr. Cody said the team looked at clarifying traffic mitigation measures.  They were asked to look at cut through traffic issues – the idea that drivers may go to side streets to avoid Storrs Road.  He said they found it very difficult to quantify this number at this time, partly because this is already an existing issue.  He noted that two traffic improvements should help – the extension of Hillside Road to Route 44 and the connection of Bolton Road to South Eagleville Road (very preliminary stage), which would allow people driving directly to UConn from the north or south end of town to bypass Storrs Road.

Mr. Cody said the team’s engineers believe there will be some diversion of traffic but they do not believe it will result in a lower Level of Service.

Mr. Toledano said the CT DOT would not evaluate local traffic issues.

Mr. Millman said he agrees with the analysis.  He thinks people are already diverting from Storrs Road and there is actually not as much diverting as you would think.

Mr. Bacon asked how much the Hillside Road and Bolton Road extensions are factored into CT DOT’s analysis.  Mr. Toledano said they would not consider planned improvements – only “real” construction projects.

Mr. Millman asked if there would be a roundabout at S. Eagleville and Storrs Road.  Mr. Toledano said it needs to be evaluated but CT DOT might be open to it.  He would like to pursue it.  For pedestrians, it is better to cross one lane to a median than to cross all the way across the street.

Mr. Toledano said the framework of the design guidelines reflects the Committee’s work.  They did reduce the maximum height on some of the buildings.  Sections on architecture were also added by Urban Design Associates.  Two pages of guidelines that the Town already had in their regulations were also added.  A section on commercial storefront design was added, and they worked with Max Reim of Live Work Learn Play on guidelines for outdoor areas.

Mr. Toledano said the Mr. Padick requested more information on signage.  It was originally included in the text amendment but he requested that it be put in the design guidelines section.  Mr. Padick expects the Planning and Zoning Commission to discuss signage, particularly with the request for larger signs.

Mr. Toledano said the team addressed Fire Marshal John Jackman’s concern about fire access to buildings.

They also included a section on linking any trails on the site with adjacent Joshua’s Trust trails.

Mr. Millman asked if the design guidelines the Committee prepared could exist as a separate document.  Mr. Toledano said most of the document is reflect in the design guidelines that are part of the zoning application to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Mr. Toledano said that Urban Design Associates had worked with Leyland on an internal pattern book, which includes design as well as internal information on proposed commercial store types.

Chris Kueffner asked if there was an executive summary as part of the application submission.  Mr. Cody said there is a statement of justification, which serves that purpose.

Mr. Haidous asked if the application could be circulated or put on the website.  Mr. Toledano thought this would be possible.

Mr. Haidous asked about the status of funding for the garages.  Ms. Paterson said she hoped that there might be response from the State to the Town’s Urban Action Grant by the end of February.  She indicated if there was no public funding, they would find a way to make this work.  She indicated that her visit to D.C. with Ms. van Zelm and Mr. Toledano (as well as Board President Philip Lodewick) went well.  Senator Lieberman and Congressman Courtney were very supportive of the project.

Mr. Toledano said that Mr. Cody and Mr. Ostergaard will take the lead on the presentation to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Mr. Haidous said it will be important to explain that site plans will still need to be reviewed after the zoning is approved i.e., there is still another layer of approvals.

Mr. Cody said the presentation on the text and map amendment can be done in one evening.  The Commission can ask questions and require the applicants to do some more research.  Ms. Paterson said the benefit is that the Planning and Design Committee has been able to provide a lot of input to the process.

Mr. Kueffner made a motion to recommend approval of the map amendment for the Storrs Center Special Design District to the Board of Directors.  Ms. Paterson seconded the motion.  There was discussion.  Mr. Kueffner said he was pleased with the process.  The pace has been patient, which has given a lot of credibility to the project.  The Committee approved the motion unanimously.

4.         Other

Mr. Bacon announced that Dave Pepin had resigned from the Committee as well as the Board of Directors.  Ms. Paterson suggested that Mr. Bacon send a note to Mr. Pepin thanking him for his service on the Committee.

5. Next Meeting Date

Ms. Moynihan asked if the Committee would continue to meet on a regular basis.  Mr. Bacon indicated that the Committee might go on a hiatus until it is time to review site plans.

Ms. van Zelm said she will e-mail Committee members the dates for the public hearings when they are determined.

6.         Adjourn

The meeting adjourned at 6:45 pm.