TOWN OF MANCHESTER, VERMONT
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD (DRB) MINUTES
Development Review Board Present: Tim Waker, John Kennedy, Cathy Stewart, Ray Ferrarin, John Watanabe.
Staff Present: Planning & Zoning Director Janet Hurley.
Also Present: Ramsay Gourd, Steven Bryant, Frank Parent, Ginny Baier, Seth Bongartz, Chris Bongartz, Reed Bongartz, Michael Zoufaly, Kathe Dillmann.
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Waker called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. Hurley read the remote meeting script, which is attached to these minutes and hereby incorporated. She asked participants to mute themselves unless speaking. Waker administered a roll call of board members. All five were present.
Pearls Place, 1942 Depot Street, Site and design plan review for building renovations, Application 2020-11-100.
December 30, 2020, site visit attendees: Janet Hurley, Christina Haskins, John Watanabe, Ray Ferarrin, Cathy Stewart, John Kennedy, Steven Bryant, Frank Parent, Ramsay Gourd, Frank Stone, John Stern, Ginny Baier, Seth Bongartz, Jenny Foster, Reed Bongartz, and Mike Zoufaly.
Waker administered the oath to Ramsay Gourd, Steven Bryant, Frank Parent, Ginny Baier, Seth Bongartz, and Michael Zoufaly. Hurley displayed the latest revised site plan on screen and recommended that the board focus on just the conditional use criteria for the drive-thru. She suggested that some salient site plan issues could be addressed, but a complete site plan review should be delayed until more details were presented. Parent thanked the board for taking a piecemeal approach while various aspects of the project could be pursued. He explained that the concept is for a pickup window for food ready after preordering. He described the envisioned improvements to Butternut Lane and the rear driveway.
Waker asked how many trips per day were expected to use the drive-thru. Parent suggested that there may be ten per peak hour, but the applicant does not know yet. Waker recalled that there once were regular volleyball league games there and other events and he suggested that this impact would be less than those historic uses. Kennedy suggested that there would need to be a place for customers to pull over and wait if they arrive before their order is ready. Parent suggested two spaces alongside the island (across from the employee parking) could function for that purpose. He pointed out that some widening may be necessary to provide the turning radius needed for vehicles to turn back into the loop. Hurley suggested that Parent show circulation for truck deliveries on the next revision of the site plan.
Waker asked for more details about the pickup aspect of the business. Bryant indicated that orders would be placed via an app ahead of time. The app could indicate pickup time and text customer if the order is delayed. It will be more technologically enhanced than what he is doing at the Dorset Inn right now. Kennedy asked what percentage of the meals at Dorset Inn are pickup meals right now. Bryant estimated that maybe 50% are pickup during COIVID. He guessed that maybe 10% of the business would consist of pickup orders at this new site.
Ferrarin asked whether there would be a sign indicating the Butternut Lane access for pickup orders. Parent said there would be likely one at the Depot Street main access drive and one adjacent to Butternut Lane. Stewart added that the ordering app should tell them to pick up via Butternut Lane. Ferrarin asked how a customer who came to the front door would get a pickup order. Parent indicated that staff would retrieve the order and bring it to the customer. Stewart asked how staff will get an order to a customer waiting in a car in the drive-thru loop. Gourd indicated staff would bring it from the kitchen through the side service door to the car.
Ferrarin inquired about the planned time frame for operation. Bryant indicated that he would like to open by Memorial Day. Hurley noted the issue of screening the drive-thru from adjacent residential properties as important to the conditional use review. The applicant has indicated that a plan will be established in consultation with neighboring property owners.
Baier argued that the applicant should have a better handle on how much traffic this will add to Butternut Lane. She requested that the applicant conduct more research to gain a better understanding of this. Watanabe asked what the peak time would be for this pickup service. Bryant indicated that it would be Friday evenings from 6 to 10 as customers are on their way to mountain towns. Watanabe asked Baier how much she uses the intersection during this time. Baier estimated she uses it once or twice in the time period. Parent pointed out that the road would be widened and paved and meet state intersection standards.
Waker asked Baier if there were ever traffic issues on Butternut Lane when volleyball and event activities occurred on the site. Baier contended that Butternut Lane was not used for those activities. Dillmann indicated that she visits Baier frequently and has trouble seeing oncoming westbound traffic on Depot Street (Route 11/30) from Butternut Lane. Parent reiterated that the intersection would be brought to state standards. He also suggested that an interactive speed limit sign would be helpful to slow drivers down to the posted speed limit. Kennedy asked whether there was an accident history for the site. Parent sad he would research that.
Watanabe argued that left hand turns from Butternut Lane could hold things up on a Friday evening. Parent indicated that he did not think it the amount of traffic would trigger a traffic study by the state. Parent added that VTrans would focus its analysis on the geometry of the intersection. Others noted that most of the traffic is expected to turn east onto the highway going up the mountain. Parent pointed out that the widening of the lane would allow stacking behind vehicle waiting to make a left turn. Hurley pointed out that there could be a lot of Sunday traffic by visitors returning to south and west bound homes.
There was some discussion about a potential stormwater drainage issue adjacent to Butternut Lane that will need to be addressed. Parent indicated that he would coordinate with Christina Haskins and neighboring landowner Greg Boshart to adequately plan for and address any drainage issue there.
S. Bongartz offered that the improvements to the intersection will be welcome, especially regrading so that Butternut Lane traffic will no longer be steeply upslope on a gravel road. He reiterated if adequate screening on the southerly side of the property is required, the project is acceptable from his family’s perspective.
Gourd asked that the board provide conceptual conditional use approval for the drive-thru operation so that the applicant team can move forward to provide engineered details. Watanabe asked whether the applicant would be okay with screening conditions. Bryant indicated that he would be. Kennedy asked if the applicant would be comfortable with any state requirements addressing the left turn issue. Bryant indicated that he would be. Kennedy added that conditions regarding the island configuration, screening and other considerations may be included in a decision. Hurley and Waker invited comments on the idea of closing the conditional use hearing and rendering a decision on the drive-thru separate from the site plan decision. There were none.
Stewart motioned to close the conditional use hearing. Watanabe seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0-0.
Waker asked whether the applicant would begin consultation with VTrans. Parent indicated that he would. Hurley explained that a site plan hearing would be warned for March and interested parties would be notified as before.
Ferrarin motioned to approve the minutes of the December 2, 2020. Kennedy seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0-0.
Other Business.
Ferrarin wished Waker a happy birthday and board members wished his injured son well.
Watanabe motioned to adjourn. Kennedy seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0-0 at 8:45.