NEW BUSINESS

SMITHFIELD VILLAGE - (ID#: 16-008) Request for Extension of Final Plan Approval

Major Land Development

AP 29/Lot 66A, AP 30/Lots 20, 29, 30, 30A, 31(portion of), & 31A, AP 35/Lots 13 & 21

355 Putnam Pike

27 Acres (approx.) / Zone: Putnam Pike/Esmond Street - Planned Development District

Applicant: Churchill & Banks Companies, LLC. 

Owner: Churchill & Banks Companies, LLC. and Walter & Norma Paterson

a.     The Board will conduct the project’s annual review.

b.     The Board will vote on approval of the extension.

Attorney Joelle Rocha represented the applicant and stated that they obtained Final Plan approval last February and that the pandemic has put things in a whirlwind for development but that they have formerly purchased the Paterson lots and merged the lot lines via an administrative subdivision of those lots. 

Town Planner Mike Phillips stated that this is the first of two by-right extension requests that the applicant is eligible to receive.

Jennifer Hawkins made a motion, seconded by Mike Pinelli, to grant the extension of Final Plan approval for Smithfield Village.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

COMPrehensive PLAN AMENDMENTS – PUBLIC HEARING

Consider and obtain public input on proposed amendments to the Housing chapter of the Comprehensive Community Plan.

a.     The Board will review the proposed amendments with staff and the Town’s planning consultant.

b.     The Board will receive input from the public on the proposed amendments.

c.      The Board may recommend that the Town Council adopt the proposed amendments as proposed or, with changes as voted on by the Board.

d.     The Board may continue the public hearing to a future date.

Town Planner Mike Phillips stated that the Board was tasked with updating the housing element of the Comprehensive Community Plan with a goal to assess Table H-25 to see what else could be done in its place.  Mr. Phillips stated that Table H-25 has been removed and replaced with different strategies and performance standards.  Mr. Phillips introduced the town’s consultant Jeff Davis with Horsley Witten Group.

Jeff Davis of Horsley Witten Group presented a PowerPoint presentation and stated that the goal was to update the low and moderate income housing strategies within the housing element.  Mr. Davis stated that they worked to develop performance standards rather than having a list of specific properties.

Jennifer Hawkins questioned whether there is an adequate amount of land to achieve the numbers presented given the land use constraints in the Town and Mike Phillips replied that they did a build out analysis which indicated that the Town can accommodate this number and more of this type of housing over a 20 year period.  Curtis Ruotolo questioned whether the analysis of buildable area took into consideration wetlands and Mike Phillips replied that he took into account wetlands and other constraints like that.

Al Gizzarelli questioned whether there is any town owned land being considered for development of LMI units and Mike Phillips replied that there is not a great deal of town-owned sites appropriate for housing.  Jeff Davis added that the language has been written to leave it open for the addition of parcels to be re-zoned to multi-family by right.

Mike Moan stated that he previously submitted some questions to the Town Planner and reviewed them with the Board.  Mr. Moan questioned what the town is doing about the displacement of low-income families and Mike Phillips replied that projects like the Georgiaville Village Green, which is a low-income rental project, provides housing for people of lower income.  Mr. Phillips added that allowing for development of off-site LMI units and deed restricting homes in exchange for a housing rehabilitation grant are additional policies.   Jennifer Hawkins added that the Housing Authority apply for section 8 vouchers and educate and encourage landlords to accept hose vouchers.

Mike Moan questioned why the Benny’s Warehouse on Farnum Pike was not included on the list and Mike Phillips replied that there is a group currently doing due diligence on the property and he expects them to move forward with a project which may be mixed use and that there has to be an LMI component for that type of project.

Mike Moan questioned whether the Town is still able to enforce 20% inclusionary zoning and Solicitor Scott Levesque replied that the state enable statute makes it clear that inclusionary zoning is a tool which is enforceable by law as long as it meets the statute and requirements of the ordinance.

Mike Moan stated that he thinks the 125% density bonus for properties that do not meet the performance standards weakens the purpose and resolve of those measures.  Jeff Davis replied that it was to help the town’s standing with any SHAB appeals.  Solicitor Scott Levesque stated that just because a property doesn’t meet the standard of being connected to public water and sewer does not mean it cannot sustain increased density.  As opposed to putting a specific number of 125%, Solicitor Levesque stated that the Board could require a developer to provide evidence that the land can sustain a specific density. Solicitor Levesque suggested having a provision that indicates in the event the land does not have public water and sewer that it would be incumbent on the applicant to prove that the density proposed is sustainable to provide safe and potable water and deal with the effluent.

The public hearing was opened at 6:45 p.m. and no one being present to speak to this agenda item was promptly closed.

Mike Moan questioned the rear yard setbacks for R-20 and R-Med and Jeff Davis replied that those zones have shorter, less deep setbacks than what’s required for multi-family housing and did not want to further reduce that setback.

Mike Moan questioned the rationale for going from 4 units to 16 units and stated that it seems to be a substantial increase.  Mike Phillips replied that proposals for larger buildings, such as Smithfield Village, have as many as 28 units per building and its more of an economy building fewer buildings to accommodate the densities in these type of mixed use developments.  Jeff Davis added that as long as the building meets the dimensional standards this is a tool to allow for more housing diversity, such as smaller one bedroom units, if it makes sense in any particular proposal.

Mike Pinelli made a motion, seconded by Jennifer Hawkins, to recommend that the Town Council adopt the proposed amendments with the changes made tonight to remove the existing language on density where there is no public water and sewer and replaced with language that it be incumbent on the applicant to provide additional sufficient expert evidence to support that the land could sustain the density proposed based on potable water and OWTS.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

Mike Moan made a motion, seconded by Ken Orabona, to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 pm.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Donna A. Corrao

Recording Secretary