By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE
The Middlebury Conservation Commission (CC) at its Nov. 24 meeting approved a septic tank at Tyler Cove and plans for a commercial building on Southford Road. It also accepted an application for a crematory on Benson Road, set a Dec. 29 special meeting date to consider that application, and voted to request an increase in the budget for the wetlands enforcement officer (WEO) salary.
At the Dec. 29 special meeting, commissioners approved the crematory application and agreed on the procedure for reopening the former Sunoco station on Middlebury Road.
In November, the commission unanimously approved an additional 1,000-gallon septic holding tank at property owned by Antoinette Moore at 17 Tyler Cove with member George Tzepos recusing himself. A resolution of approval stated the proposed activity conformed to the purposes and requirements of the Inland Wetlands Commission and there was no prudent alternative available. Town engineer John Calabrese confirmed the Health Department will perform an inspection.
The commission also unanimously approved plans for a grocery store on Southford Road across from the former Golden Age of Trucking Museum with member Justin Stanziale recusing himself. Joseph Desantis and Richard Brown of Middlebury, D/B/A Southford Road LLC, developed the plans for the new 14,000-square-foot commercial building. They made room for the building by combining their 2½ acre parcel at 1000 Southford Road with an acre from the adjoining lot at 984 Southford Road owned by Francis Cipriano of Watertown D/B/A Southford Park LLC.
The final plans were reviewed for commissioners by engineer Jeremy Oskandy of Arthur H. Howland and Associates, who responded to drainage comments by Calabrese and to wetland impact comments in a third-party report written by Matthew J. Sanford of Milone and MacBroom. The approval was conditioned on bonding for soil erosion control, wetland plantings, and five years of maintenance and monitoring.
In November new business, an application by Raymond and Panagiota (Penny) Albini D/B/A Albini Enterprise – Benson Road to build a 10,000-square-foot crematory on Benson Road was accepted for commissioner review. Civil engineer Brian Baker of Civil One briefly reviewed the plans, saying there will be 116 parking spaces in front and a cremation garden in the rear. All development will be in the open area and not require any tree clearing. Storm-water management will include several rain gardens. He agreed to stake out the building and driveway for commissioner inspection.
At the December meeting, commissioners unanimously approved the crematory application after Woodbury civil engineer Curtis Jones reviewed the site plan circulation and storm-water distribution system, telling commissioners he had relocated the crematory garden to preserve trees. Manchester environmental scientist George Logan discussed wetlands mitigation plans that included removal of invasive species and addition of a shrub-and-tree planting scheme for the rain gardens with long-term maintenance instructions for removal of accumulated silt.
In other matters in November, commissioners approved a budget increase of $3,115, or 39 percent, to $11,195 from $8,080, for WEO Deborah Seavey for the 2016-2017 fiscal year for submission to the Board of Finance. Chairman Vincent LoRusso told commissioners the current budget allowed for about four hours a week for Seavey. Member Terence Manning said that wasn’t enough time to get work done in advance of meetings.
In other matters in December, commissioners unanimously agreed WEO Deborah Seavey and town engineer John Calabrese could administratively handle a reopening of the former Sunoco station at 550 Middlebury Road which new owners Nadeem Khalid and his partner, Mir Sabbir Ahmed, purchased from Robert and Kerrie Ford Oct. 28. Seavey had questioned whether a permit was required, which would involve the commission.
Waterbury professional engineer and land surveyor Scott Meyers said the new owners planned to move right in and convert it to a Citgo gas station/convenience store on the same footprint, adding parking in the rear where junk cars formerly were stored. He said drainage would not be changed, and impervious surfaces only slightly increased, with less impact on town drains after site work was completed.
The next regular CC meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Room 26 at Shepardson Community Center.
