Design Review Board Minutes 07/27/2015 SPECIAL MEETING

DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MINUTES

JULY 27, 2015

SPECIAL MEETING

I.          CALL TO ORDER

Chairperson Jennifer Murnane called the Design Review Board Special Meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. in the Main Meeting Room of the Simsbury Town Offices.   

II.        ROLL CALL

The following Board Members were present:  Ron Perry, Anca Dragulski, John Carroll and Paul Lanza.  Also in attendance were Hiram Peck, Director of Planning; Janis Prifti, Clerk; and other interested parties.

III.       APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

No alternates were seated.

IV.       DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION

1.         Application #15-22 of Ronald Bomengen, Fuss & O'Neill, Inc., Agent; Westminster School, Owner; for a site plan amendment for a new student and faculty residence, dining hall, and renovations to Cushing Hall on the property located at 995 Hopmeadow Street (Assessor's Map H07, Block 103, Lot 034). Zone R-40.

Application #15-22 was read into the record.

The Agent thanked the Board for holding a Special Meeting allowing Westminster School to meet tight deadlines.  Also present were Dan Rutledge, Architect, and Carol Kirsch from Westminster School.  The Agent reviewed this presentation is for a new student and faculty residence, dining hall, and renovations to Cushing Hall.  The Agent noted the school currently has 70% boarding students and 30% day students.  The Agent indicated they received unanimous approval from Inland/Wetlands on 7/21/2015 for the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plans; they will appear before the Zoning Commission later tonight.  The Agent showed the Board an artistic rendering of the campus and described the layout; a Google aerial view showed demolished areas and more recently constructed buildings.

The Agent showed the Board the locations for:  1) constructing a 9,000 sq. ft. footprint dorm, which is the same building approved to be built in 2012 - the change would be moving it to another location; 2) constructing 2 carriage houses with 5-car garages and faculty apartment above; 3) constructing a 22,000 sq. ft. footprint dining hall with mechanical and kitchen space on floors below; and 4) Cushing Hall renovations, including demolishing a portion of the building and a pedestrian connection to the academic building.  The Agent reviewed the plan and building locations approved in 2012 with items shaded in yellow never constructed, including a dorm, 3 garages, a driveway and garage, and carriage house.  The Agent showed the new overall proposed site plan and new locations of buildings proposed to be constructed, including:  new dorm, carriage house previously approved, dining hall, traffic oval between the dining hall and Cushing, and minor pedestrian work between Cushing and the academic building.  The Agent summarized the work would be done in phases with Phase 1 the student/faculty residence, Phase 2 dining hall/traffic oval, and Phase 3 Cushing Hall - the campus dining hall is currently in Cushing and cannot be worked on until the new dining hall is constructed. 

The Agent showed a close-up view of student residences/carriage house; an existing playground for faculty children will be relocated to where an existing house will be demolished.  The Agent noted Westminster campus is about 90 feet above Hopmeadow Street and the finished floor would be level with the campus road with 2 levels below that and loading in back using the existing access driveway which keeps delivery vehicles away from the main student campus, and parking added for dining hall faculty.  The Agent showed a 2008 aerial view of the old Baxter Hall with a similar dining hall footprint, and the existing conditions for Cushing work and improvements.  The Agent indicated they are adding one dorm and not taking one away; they will be adding boarding students and cutting back on day students.  The Agent noted each of the projects would be geothermal, as past use of geothermal on campus has proved very successful for the school.

The Architect described the campus main circle and location of new buildings; because they are working on a plateau edge, they would re-grade downhill somewhat and restore some of the forest coming up the hill toward the south side of the dining hall; in other areas they plan to use the trees as a buffer from the road below.  The Architect indicated the existing simple campus-planting scheme would be replicated including grass, trees, some smaller fruit trees, and smaller sprays of shrubs.  The Architect showed a rendering of the dining hall and an existing building - the new buildings would use the same brick, limestone colored cast stone, and brown trim color materials.  The Architect noted the upper floor dining hall would be on the plateau level/Cushing entry level and would have an entry lobby, major dining room, and smaller function dining room; the next lower level would have a catering kitchen and mechanicals; and the lowest level exits to the service drive where delivery trucks enter keeping traffic off campus.  The Architect showed the Board various elevations.  The Board asked whether the nice buildings could be viewed from Hopmeadow Street but the Architect indicated there are a lot of trees combined with elevation that preventing it.  The Architect showed dorm drawings identical to others built over the last 10 years utilizing the same stucco, PVC trim, and asphalt roofing; the Board was invited to come up and see the buildings.  The Architect showed in yellow Cushing Hall facade changes to create a new entry and restore the facade where the existing kitchen has been removed, with materials replicated.  The Agent clarified that the loading dock is a tunnel under 30-40 feet of lawn and hides trash compactors, etc. 

Town Staff confirmed that the campus is 192.9 acres.  Town Staff reviewed questions addressed included:  1) the view from Hopmeadow Street; and 2) Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan approval was received from the Inland/Wetlands Agency and Conservation Commission.

Board Member Lanza made a motion to approve Application #15-22 of Ronald Bomengen, Fuss & O'Neill, Inc., Agent; Westminster School, Owner; for a site plan amendment for a new student and faculty residence, dining hall, and renovations to Cushing Hall on the property located at 995 Hopmeadow Street (Assessor's Map H07, Block 103, Lot 034). Zone R-40, as presented, with no changes.

Board Member Carroll seconded the motion, and it was approved unanimously.

V.        ADJOURNMENT

Board Member Perry made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:55 p.m.

Board Member Lanza seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.

_____________________________

John Carroll, Secretary