Design Review Board Minutes 12/10/2013 ADOPTED
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MINUTES
DECEMBER 10, 2013
REGULAR MEETING
I. CALL TO ORDER
Acting Chairman, John Carroll called the Design Review Board meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. in the Main Meeting Room of the Simsbury Town Offices. The following members were present: Anthony Drapelick, Ronald Perry, Jennifer Murnane, Anca Dragulski, Jonathan Laschever, and Paul Lanza. Also in attendance were Hiram Peck, Director of Planning, Janis Prifti, Clerk, and other interested parties.
The Chairman and the liaison from the Zoning Commission were present and the Charter document was provided to the Commissioners. Regarding a potential PAD at Powder Forest, Town Staff clarified it would be a mixed-use, commercial development and typically would be referred by Zoning to DRB for an opinion because the site plan would eventually have to be approved by the Zoning Commission.
II. MEMBER INTRODUCTIONS
The Commission members summarized their backgrounds and extensive experience in the fields of architecture, commercial and residential construction, project management, consulting engineering, space planning, historic restoration, house design, remodeling, and previous memberships on other Town Commissions.
III. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION
a. Election of Chairman
Commissioner Lanza made a motion to elect Jennifer Murnane as Chairman. Commissioner Perry seconded the motion.
Commissioner Drapelick made a motion to close nominations and Commissioner Carroll seconded the motion.
The motion to elect Jennifer Murnane, Chairman was passed unanimously.
b. Election of Secretary
Chairwoman Murnane asked for nominations for Secretary, whose main responsibility would be coordination and to assist the Chairwoman in her absence.
Commissioner Perry made a motion to nominate John Carroll. Commissioner Drapelick seconded the motion.
Commissioner Drapelick made a motion to close nominations and Commissioner Carroll seconded the motion.
The motion to elect John Carroll, Secretary was passed unanimously.
c. Meeting dates and times, schedule adoption, if revised
The Zoning Chairman suggested DRB meetings be held the same day as regularly scheduled Zoning Commission meetings. With DRB meeting at 5:30 p.m. and Zoning meeting at 7:00 p.m., it would provide the efficiency of having informal presentations take place at 6:30 p.m. so developers would only have to present once; these meetings would be scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. The DRB Commissioners agreed and Town Staff will provide the Commissioners a revised 2014 meeting schedule, as well as the emails and address information for Board members. Presentations may be informal with feedback provided; however, informal presentations can be changed to formal, if appropriate. Formal applications to the Zoning Commission reviewed by DRB do not involve public hearings. Town Staff would typically not schedule a formal or substantial application for review by DRB on the same date as Zoning would make a decision.
IV. DISCUSSION OF DRB DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING:
Town Staff provided a number of documents to Commissioners, including a conflict of interest and pre-disposition article from the Connecticut General Statutes as an example of issues to consider. Samples of motions and procedures were also provided for review by the Commissioners and Town Staff invited any questions and suggested wording changes.
a. Guidelines for Community Design, Revised October 15, 2012, Adopted.
Town Staff indicated these Guidelines are the most important document for Commissioners to be familiar with in dealing with applicants. The many other documents provided to Commissioners are on an informal, suggested basis until their language is adopted and added to the Guidelines for Community Design. A goal would be to pare down the documents to a manageable amount of information to provide to applicants. Town Center has a form-based code in place and it is also under development for other Town areas, including Weatogue and The Hartford complex. The remainder of Town is conventionally-zoned, and various types of requests could be received.
b. Documents pertaining to DRB process and procedures
i. Motions
ii. Large retail developments
iii. Planned Area Development checklist
iv. DRB review process
Town Staff requested that the Commissioners review these documents before the next meeting for discussion of any questions.
V. DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Discussion of ongoing Town consulting projects:
* Village District Study in Weatogue
This Study is to develop a northern Weatogue Village District from Mitchell Volvo to Rte. 185. The consultant has provided a draft regulation, which will be provided to Commissioners prior to the next meeting. The Study looks at what could happen in this area in the future in a village concept. The Rte. 10 Study shows the Weatogue area in some detail where businesses thrive in a walkable area.
* Marketing Study - Town wide
Phase I of the Marketing Study was recently completed at a cost of about $25,000 and is available on the Town website. The implementation second phase would take information from the first phase and focus on attracting high tech, high quality firms to Town. Funding for the second Phase will be sought in the next budget cycle. There are 2-3 significant parcels in Town Center, including the Webster Bank Building, which was sold; and plans for these parcels that look pretty good should come before the Board for input in January/February.
* The Hartford Land Use Study status
The final Code should be received by the Town at the end of December and then brought before a number of Commissions in January. The Code should show several development scenarios, including: 1) a whole health village running from really young school children through the educational process to university; 2) an agri-business concept using some of the 40-acre northern fields on the property to grow some crops; or to possibly develop a microbrewery; and 3) high-end medical rehabilitation for various types of athletes, and biotech. The Town would not like to see the property demolished.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE
None.
VII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of November 26, 2013
On Line 17, the name of "Commissioner Stewart" is corrected to "Commissioner Carroll".
Commissioner Drapelick made a motion to adopt the November 26, 2013 Minutes as amended. Commissioner Carroll seconded the motion, and it was approved unanimously.
The Zoning Commission Chairman expressed appreciation for the service of continuing and new Commissioners and looked forward to furthering the great work the Design Review Board has always done for the Town, and accepted the challenge to work very cooperatively.
Commissioner Carroll made a motion that the Design Review Board reconvene on January 6, 2014. Commissioner Perry seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Drapelick made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:10 p.m. Commissioner Perry seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.
_____________________________
John Carroll, Secretary