Greenfield Zoning Board of Adjustment
Meeting Minutes
June 10, 2008
The Zoning Board gathers at 7:30 pm
John Gryval opens the public hearing for case 08-4 at 8:00 pm.
Present are John, Kevin, Roger, Loren, and Craig.
John asks if the hearing was properly noticed, Kevin replies it was.
John presents CMRC with an invoice for the hearing, and Mr. Redmond states his position at Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center, that he’ll be representing for CMRC and presents a check for the hearing.
John explains the proceedings and asks Mr. Redmond to proceed.
Mr. Redmond explains why they’re here. That they’re planning to erect a housing facility, and that they’ll need a special exception from the wetlands buffer requirements, and variances from provisions of the zoning ordinance relating to building height, setback and frontage, parking, and number of residential building per lot.
Mr. Redmond then introduced Mr. Todd who’ll be speaking of the land’s features, and Mr. Pennoyer who’ll be speaking about the building plans and layout and why the need for variances, and Ms. Barsamian; their legal council.
Mr. Todd presents his credentials as a surveyor and wetlands scientist, and describes the physical characteristics of the property and its surroundings. Mr. Todd shows the board the plat for the area, explains the runoff, wetlands and buffer; the wetlands wildlife value as little to none with no invertebrate life, and characterizes it as drainage only. He also explains the building will be connected to the community water and septic systems, and that it’s over the setback requirement from the nearest road, South View Road. He then shows the soils maps.
Craig asks for a description of the soil types.
Mr. Todd explains them.
Mr. Pennoyer then presents his portion. The site is comprised of 1400 acres; the area where they’re locating the building was formally occupied by the old maintenance shed. And that they’ve worked with the existing site to keep it accessible to the main areas, and that they’ll be increasing the permeable area by removing paved parking areas. The towns zoning ordinance doesn’t allow them to work this building into the area needed. The building height is 36 foot. 32 up front but increases to 42 where the grade falls away. Zoning requires two parking spaces per unit. They’ll like this reduced to 1.5 spaces as there is parking nearby, and some of the residence won’t need parking spaces as they don’t drive and they’ll be using shuttle busses. Lastly the lot is being sub-divided solely for the
purposes of financing and the lot will be reintegrated later.
Michelle LeBlanc states her concern and wants to make sure this will not be occurring near her residence on Cart Lane. Mr. Pennoyer explains the strategy is to keep all development within South View Road; this project will not impact Cart Lane.
Craig asks of storm water control. What’s generated on this lot, what’s contained to this lot, what leaves the lot?
Mr. Pennoyer explains the stone swales in back of the building.
Mr. Redmond states they’ll be improving the hydrologies that exist there now.
Craig asks to see the wetlands on the plat, and if the building is going to be in the wetlands.
Mr. Pennoyer consults the plans and states the back portion of the building and a corner is in the buffer.
Kevin asks how much in the buffer.
Craig asks if the wetlands were created as a catch basin.
Mr. Todd states that over the past fifty years the flow over the ditch has increase Craig: ”But now the flow’s going to be managed.”
Mr. Pennoyer: ”Noyes engineering is designing sheet flow and drainage.”
Loren asks if the drainage north of the site will be draining into the same area. Mr. Pennoyer states it’s draining away, to the north.
Kevin; “And the wetlands didn’t contain any invertebrate life, just plant life?”
Mr. Todd. “Correct, and the material there is flashy and constantly changing due to runoff.”
John: As far as the wetlands go they’ll be displace from this lot but contained within the entire lot.”
Kevin asks of the building safety and the building height.
Mr. Pennoyer states it’d like a two-story house with a walkout basement in back.
Craig asks if these units are rentals.
Mr. Redmond replies that they are, a special purpose corporation will run it.
Loren asks about handicap accessibility.
Mr. Pennoyer replies the lower level has egress doors for handicap accessibility.
John states he feels this is a great presentation, for a project of this size we should probably solicited input from the fire chief, for the building height, and from the police chief for the traffic flow.
Craig talks of the building height at the rear, and states there defiantly an issue with egress.
CMRC Attorney states the board could always grant conditional approval with departments mentioned approval. John replies the board would rather have that input directly.
Loren states he feels the fire protection OK. The fire suppression and egress will be from the front.
Mr. Pennoyer interjects that the IBC life safety code will be place in the building and they’ll be fully sprinkled.
Craig asks if this is part of the non-profit organization.
Mr. Redmond replies it’s complicated, but within the non-profit.
Kevin asks if anyone want a site walk, Loren replies no.
John asks what the make up of the units will be.
Mr. Pennoyer replies eight single bedroom, fifteen two bedroom, and three, three bedroom, for forty-seven bedrooms. The residents will be employees who’ll be providing services to group homes, clients, and some unrelated persons. Parking spaces will not be required as much as the zoning requires as most clients do not drive, and shuttle busses and the proximity of the building to its surroundings provide transportation.
Craig states he can look at this as a unique situation.
Loren asks of the funding time line.
Redmond states it’ll be approximately thirty years. In twelve years the project will meet its obligations and the lot will likely be reintegrated into the main lot.
Craig motions to close the hearing and go into deliberations,
Roger seconds, and the motion carries.
The board discusses the project and its complexities.
The board discusses if to continue the hearing to next week to give it time to absorb the information presented and due to the late hour.
Craig motions to continue hearing on June 17 at 8:00 pm.
Loren seconds, motion carries.
Craig motions to close meeting, Roger seconds, motion carries.
| 
