#MIDDLEBURY
By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE
The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at its March 2 meeting advised a subdivision applicant to get emergency access opinions, told Quassy ground coverage calculations were OK, discussed patio safety at Pies and Pints, and held up approvals of the former Sunoco Station reconstruction.
A preliminary plan by Pasquale Salvatore to subdivide a lot on 400 Watertown Road into five lots with a common driveway was met with concern by Chairman Terry Smith, who said, “Five driveways on one lot is really stretching it.” Smith told professional engineer David Hughes that although the plan met the intention of the regulations, he worried about the identification of lots by emergency vehicles and the additional width and turnarounds that might be required.
Hughes told him the common driveway would cause less wetlands disturbance to a crossover of Hop Brook, but Smith reminded him the plans would need to show viable individual driveways, even if not initially built. He told Hughes to get opinions from the fire chief, fire marshal and police chief before coming back to the commission.
When asked about ground coverage calculations for the rebuilt Candy Store at Quassy Amusement Park, commissioners told Attorney Michael McVerry that propane tanks required for the grill did not need to be included in the square footage figures.
In enforcement matters, Smith said he asked Zoning Enforcement Officer Curtis Bosco to bring in the approved outdoor dining plans for Pies and Pints restaurant after noticing garage doors and concrete piers were installed under the new patio. Smith said the approval stipulated a guardrail or other barrier to prevent vehicles from hitting the supports. He asked commission members and Town Engineer John Calabrese to visit the site to see if the concrete piers were sufficient.
Smith and Bosco also discussed reconstruction of the former Ford’s Sunoco Station. Smith told him the canopy must be built according to the plans, and the third pump needs to come out. He told Bosco not to issue any approvals or permit paving until those conditions were met.
The next regular P&Z meeting will be Thursday, April 6, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.
