PLANNING BOARD
January 09, 2002
Regular Monthly meeting 6:00 PM
ROLL CALL
Present: James Montell, Chair
Christine Szigeti-Johnson
Alfred Nisbet
Pat Hart
Deborah Willis
Absent: Edmund Pelletier
Robert Moody (Alt)
Also Present:
Jeffrey Hinderliter, CEO
Fred Ventresco
Keith Edwards
Wayne Flagg
Stephen Blaisdell
Michael E. Westort
Dean Dawson
Dale Dawson
Scott Dawson
Meeting called to order at 6:02 PM by Chair Montell.
Roll call was taken.
Consideration of the Minutes from the December 12, 2001 regular meeting.
A motion was made by Alfred Nisbet to accept the December 12, 2001 minutes as presented.
Deborah Willis seconded the motion.
Vote: 4 in favor, 0 opposed. 1 abstained (James Montell, not at December 12, 2001 meeting. Motion passed.
4.) Consideration of the City of Gardiner s application for a Housing Assessment Planning Grant through the State of Maine Department of Economic Community Development Block Grant Program.
Fred Ventresco gave an overview of the plan. He indicated that it is Phase II of the Plan. It has been approved by the City Council and the match of funds has been put up. The assessment will look at the whole housing situation in Gardiner and includes single family and multi-family units. The grant requires that they obtain written approval from the Planning Board stating that the project conforms to the comprehensive plan and local zoning ordinances.
Alfred Nisbet made a motion to give written approval. Pat Hart seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
5.) Consideration of a request for a Conditional Use Permit from Maine Drilling and Blasting, Inc. to construct a magazine storage facility (construction services) in a Rural Residential Zone in accordance with Title 31, Chapter 7, Section 3202, F. 3. 4. of the City of Gardiner Zoning Ordinance. The property is located at 538 & 550 Brunswick Avenue, Map 19, Lots 40 & 41.
Steve Blaisdell, construction manager, gave the Board an overview of the plans. He said that the business is that of storing explosives. They are regulated by ATF. The current facility has limitations. If abutters were to build a building on their own land, the radius wouldn t be enough according to the ATF. They need more space. They have purchased additional property to increase the amount to store and will soon make a decision whether or not to keep the existing magazine in the front site. They will discuss it with ATF. They don t think they will use the front site. The area will be graveled and gated. The City Fire Department has a key to the gate. It is not fenced
in.
6:16 PM meeting opened for public comment. The Dawsons, abutting property owners, talked directly with Wayne Flagg, Mr. Blaisdell s associate about the issue (couldn t hear the conversation, didn t pick up on tape). Chair Montell asked if they were ok with everything. They said yes. He asked if we had received any correspondence concerning this proposal. The CEO said he had received a call from Mrs. Grover, an abutter. After he explained the plan to her, she seemed to him to be reasonably comfortable with it. Wallace Brown, an abutter came into the office to check on the ownership of the properties.
Pat Hart asked if they owned the property now. Mr. Blaisdell indicated that they had closed on one and expected to close on the others next week.
The CEO asked if any crime prevention or security plans were proposed. Wayne Flagg said the property is visited every day and the magazine keeper controls the access. The access road is gated with 2 pipe with 2 padlocks and stones around it and it is signed. The Fire Marshal inspects the property as well as ATF twice a year. He will work with the City Fire/Police Dept. to ensure safety. He has submitted his plan to the ATF and they are very pleased. They want to use this as a model for their standards. Mr. Blaisdell said that they have facilities in a number of other areas & states that meet those standards and those states are very pleased. They wanted to bring this facility up to those
standards.
6:29 PM meeting closed for public comment.
Chair Montell read page 1 of the application and the applicant s answers to the Review Criteria.
Pat Hart asked about the height of the proposed lights. Mr. Blaisdell indicated 12 15 . They can be adjusted and would be used for emergencies only. They illuminate directly to the ground. He said the area is laid out so that the trucks can drive up to the magazines and not have to back up to them.
Chair Montell asked the Board members if they had any other questions. There were none.
The Chair asked the CEO if he had had any complaints? The CEO said no, only good comments.
Christine Szigeti-Johnson made a motion to accept the application as presented. Pat Hart seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
6.) Consideration of a request for a Conditional Use Permit from Associated Grocers of Maine to extend an existing building; including a 55,000 square foot warehouse addition, 5,000 square foot office addition, additional truck maneuvering area and relocate existing parking facility; in a Planned Industrial/Commercial Zone in accordance with Title 31, Chapter 7, Section 3202, F. 3. 7., F. 4. 5. & F. 3. 16. of the City of Gardiner Zoning Ordinance. The property is located at 1000 Brunswick Avenue, Map 11, Lot 32.
Chair Montell asked Mr. Michael Westort, President/CEO of Associated Grocers of Maine, to address the Board. Mr. Westort said that these plans were submitted 2 years ago. The permit time ran out before they were ready to proceed. He said it is the same proposal as before, the buffers and traffic the same. He said DEP has extended their permit. The applicant read through his Review Criteria answers.
Part Hart asked what the existing number of parking spaces was. The CEO said 139 plus 3 handicap spaces. They have proposed 264 plus 8 handicap spaces.
The CEO thanked the applicant for putting together a great packet. He shared with the Board issues he thought they should consider on this proposal.
He discussed with the applicant the drain system.
He asked about a proposed road contained in a 1988 sub-division plan. Mr. Westort said they had no plans to develop that area.
The CEO asked about lighting and hours of operation. They said it was a 24/7 operation. Trucks in and out are scheduled. There would be lighting for the trucks coming in and out and for the people exiting and entering the building. They plan for shoebox style 15 luminaries where needed and anticipate some wall lighting. They will stay within the ordinance standards.
The CEO & Board members discussed parking. They felt it could be tied to office space to determine the number of spaces. The CEO recommended that two of the handicap spaces be combined to allow for a van as required by ADA.
The CEO asked about crime prevention, the existing guard shack, access control and perimeter security. Mr. Westort said the guard shack will go. The CEO recommended signage to control directional patterns.
Pat Hart asked about landscaping in and around the parking area. Mr. Westort said they plan to discuss this with the abutters and plant whatever they want. He also noted that the wooded buffers would remain. He said they had not planned for any landscaping within the parking area, but would meet whatever requirements the Ordinance specified. The CEO determined that it could only be a recommendation because it is not required in that district.
The CEO asked if the entire facility would be hooked up to public sewer? Mr. Westort said yes.
The CEO had the Chair re-read the answers to the Review Criteria.
The CEO asked what was considered construction debris as they had indicated that they planned to burn it. Mr. Westort said framing materials, non hazardous materials and woody debris.
The CEO recommended the Board approve the application with a condition that the applicant obtain a letter of approval from the City Sewer District indicating that the sewerage flow is acceptable before permits are issued. Mr. Westort objected to the condition as read. The Board discussed the condition. The CEO revised it to say the letter should state that the Sewer District has the capacity to handle the additional sewerage before occupancy rather than before issuing permits. The Board said that since they were not obligated to hook into the City Sewer, this condition was not needed. If the City Sewer District tells them it can t handle the additional sewerage, Mr. Westort would have to come to the CEO for a permit to expand the existing septic system.
Alfred Nisbet made a motion to approve the application as written. Deborah Willis seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
7. Other Business
° The CEO said that he expected a number of complicated issues to come before the Board in the near future and wondered if they might want to set a cut off time for the meetings. The Board members agreed.
° Christine Szigeti-Johnson brought up the issue of shopping carts, bicycles and other debris in the stream. She would like the Planning Board to sign a letter bringing this issue to the attention to the City. The City Manager, Jeffrey Kobrock suggested it would be a good beginning project for the new Downtown Manager.
° Deborah Willis mentioned that Berry & Berry Floral was coming to downtown Gardiner.
8. Adjourn
Alfred Nisbet made a motion to adjourn. Deborah Willis seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Adjourned at 7:54 PM
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