TOWN OF MANCHESTER, VERMONT
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD MINUTES
December 7, 2022
KILBURN MEETING ROOM
Board Attendees: Tim Waker, John Watanabe, Ray Ferrarin, Cathy Stewart.
Absent: Kyle Emge
Staff Attendees: Interim Town Manager Leslie Perra, Assistant Zoning Administrator Peter Brabazon
Public Attendees: Cosmo Penge, Frank Parent (LTE), David Spurr (Blaze Design), Steve MCNulty, Tammy Dillman, Michael Ellenbogen, Carolina Ellenbogen, Howard Bleakie, Sylvia Jolivette,
Brabazon initiated recording. Waker called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m.
Minutes of the November 2 & November 14th, 2022, Meeting.
Ferrarin motioned to approve the minutes as corrected. Watanabe seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0-0.
Esperia Holdings LLC. 152 Manchester Valley Road, Proposed 2 lot subdivision. Application 2022-10-113, Tax Map ID 15-20-08.00
Waker administered the oath to David Spurr and Dom Penge as representatives for Esperia Holdings LLC. Mr. Spurr gave a general overview of the site plan. The proposed subdivision would separate the storage facility from the Carpet business building. In order to do this, it would require several waivers.
1. The first waiver is relative to the minimum lot acreage within the Office Industrial (OI) district which is 20,000 sq. ft. However, the proposed subdivision would create lot #1 as 15,890 sq ft.
2. Minimum Side Setback Waiver for Lot #1 : The minimum side setback within the (OI) is 15 feet. The proposed subdivision would result in 9.9+/_ feet between the existing building and proposed property line for Lot #1.
3. Minimum Lot Frontage Waiver Lot #1: The minimum lot frontage within the OI district is 120 feet and the subject property frontage is 99.47 feet on lot #1.
4. Minimum Side Setback Waiver for Lot #2: The minimum side setback within the OI district is 15 feet. The proposed subdivision would result in a side setback of 8.9+/- feet between the existing building and proposed property line for Lot #2.
Waker asked Spurr about the total square footage of the property, which he respond to as a total of 44,015 sq. ft. It was noted that although the lots were divided up as Lot #1 15,890 sq. ft. or 0.36 Ac and lot #2 is 28,125 sq. ft. or 0.65 acres the total lot coverage initially is 44,015 sq. ft or 1.01 Acres.
There was additional discussion relative to the features of each property that the storage building does not have septic system but there is one at the carpet store building.
The discussion turned to curb cuts and access to the property. The Board was concerned with access to the property from Hunter Park Road. The proposal made by applicant would block access, as there is no known right of way from Hunter park road on to the subject property. Discussion continued with the questions of how to better define the access to the building.
Mr. Penge provided the Board with additional images to demonstrate the need to leave some areas open with no plantings. To underscore his point was the need for a tractor trailer to access the loading dock on the adjoining parcel. The Board went through the waiver criteria with the applicant. With no further discussion and no additional testimony offered by those present a motion to close the hearing was entertained.
Watanabe motioned to close the hearing. Ferrarin seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0-0.
Jim Konopka, 943 Richville Road, Proposed 2 Lot subdivision. Application 2022-10-114, Tax Map ID 23-20-10.00.
Waker administered the oath to David Spurr. Spurr is the representative of the owner and proceeded to explain the site and how the lot line was drawn to make the best use of the division of the subject property of 10.8 +/- acres.
The proposed site plan will require two waivers (1) The Minimum Front Setback Waivers: The minimum front setback within the Rural Residential zoning district is 30 feet. There are two buildings that are on the site, the main house was built in 1834 and existed well before the zoning ordinance. Therefore, this house is a non-conforming pre-existing structure proposed for lot #1. Proposed lot #2 has a garage that has also been there long before any zoning ordinance was in place. Other notable features of the site plan are that there are train tracks that bi-sects the property by the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Although the train tracks run through the property, the purpose and intent is to divide one 10.8-acre parcel into two parcels that meet the minimum lot size of 5 acres for both lots #1 & Lot #2. The applicant is asking for a waiver for the existing front setbacks which are 30 feet.
The discussion moved on to the the curb cuts to access the two lots. The map as submitted has defined two curb cuts for Lot # 2 and not identified an access for Lot #1. Waker asked the applicant how they were proposing to resolve the access question. The Board also asked if Jeff Williams had yet been consulted to come up with a plan. The applicant had not yet spoken to Jeff but had plans to review the options as soon as possible. The Board entertained a motion by Watanabe to table the discussion until the January 4th meeting, Stewart seconded the motion.
The motion carried 4-0-0.
Ellenbogen Gallery LLC, 4620 Main Street, Site and design plan review for non-commercial addition with waiver. Application 2022-11-117, Tax Map ID 31-50-26.00.
Waker administered the oath to Frank Parent and Michael and Carolina Ellenbogen.
Frank Parent gave the Board an overview of the project scope and identified the main areas that would require waivers to fit the building to the site.
Applicant is proposing to add a new space to be used as a private work space studio which will attach to the existing 2140 square foot gallery building. The square footage with the new addition is proposed to be a total of 3500 square feet. The project is located on a corner lot at the intersection of Mountain View and Main Street. The zoning district is Town Center (TC). The work space studio is a permitted use in the Town Center. The new area will include storage in the lower level with access from the exterior stairway under the covered parking. There is also proposed a storage shed located adjacent to the covered parking. The main floor is proposed to have an open floor plan with 10-foot ceilings. There are no architectural drawings to identify the use of the interior. The applicant will be looking for relief from several setbacks, one of the support posts for the garage roof is proposed to encroach on the setback and is proposed to be 6’4” from the southerly boundary line.
The applicant has asked for relief from the 10’-0” side setback and is proposing to maintain a 9’-4” setback at the southeast corner as well as relief for a support post that will be 6’-4” from the boundary line. Staff believes that the proposal submitted for review to be a first pass and a conceptual review to see if the waiver criteria would allow them to move forward with formal design and architectural plans.
The applicant explained that in order to arrange the building and the component parts (studio, garage & shed) the distances submitted on the site plan were essential to the look and feel of the addition. Further, the applicant feels that the roofing and its relation to the cupola were important to the integrity of the structure. Although the applicant had tried several different configurations he felt that the least intrusive to site and parking (loss of 3 spaces) is the version he has submitted for consideration of a waiver.
After additional discussion the Board moved to table the hearing until such time as a site visit can be arranged. The motion was made by Stewart and a second by Ferrarin to a scheduled site visit on December 14th at 9AM.
The motion carried 4-0-0.
With no further discussion the motion was made at 8:45 PM to adjourn by Ferrarin with a second by Watanabe.
The motion carried 4-0-0.
The Board went in to closed deliberative session for the Esperia Holdings LLC application and voted to approve with conditions that will be outlined in the decision. Motion to approve by Ray and seconded by John. The motion carried 4-0-0.
Next meeting for site visit December 14th on site at 4620 Main street
Next regular meeting scheduled for January 4th at Town Hall 7:30 PM
___________________________________________ _____________________________
For the Development Review Board Date